Transformer Prime: Bound by Love and Honour
by JasonVUK
Summary: After a new arrival crash lands on Earth. Jack and Arcee begin to grow closer, closer then they thought they ever would.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Unleash The Beast inside.

"Booster Engines offline, Thrusters Offline, Fifteen Percent Power remaining, Systems Failing, Repeat Systems Failing" The Computer aboard the Cybertronian's ship called out to its pilot.

The Transformer pulled back on the controls trying desperately to regain control of his damage craft as it shot down through Earth's atmosphere, damaged from a stray Meteor within the Milky Way.

"I KNOW SLAG IT!" He roared at the Holographic computer screen infront of him and slammed his large clawed fist into it, only just realising his mistake. "SCRAP!"

He looked out of his view screen, plummeting rapidly his optics opening wide in fear as the ground was coming closer Nano Cycle by Nano Cycle.

"LOWER EMERGENCY PANELLING!" he commanded his computer, waiting, nothing, "LOWER EMERGENCY PANELLING YOU PILE OF SLAG!" again nothing. He gritted his metallic teeth and secured himself in his seat, bracing himself for impact.

The Cybertronian ship, like a screaming fireball falling from the Heavens smashed into the ground of a desert region, the shockwave causing dust, bones and the odd vegetation to blow and scatter for miles around. His ship just balancing on the edge of a large crevice, where the slightest movement could alter its course.

"Warning! Warning! Energon Leak Detected. Energon Leak Detected!" The ships computer warned to its Pilot, who at this time was already well aware as he grimaced buried torn and shattered remain of his Ships body work, the Energon leak dripping drop by drop onto his head. For moments he said nothing, he blued metal like flesh being covered in the blue life giving liquid.

"I am well aware" He finally spoke, closing his optics and gritted his teeth he forced the debris off of his body causing the ship to lurch forward further on the ground, a sudden cry of pain blurted out of his mouth, turning his gaze downwards his came across a deep wound, a piece of the debris impaled through him, it was then he felt the other end sticking out of his back. "Slag" he cursed quietly grabbing the shard and removed it with a pain filled pull.

He put his hand around his dripping wound, he looked out from the gaping hole in his craft and gazed at the desert before him.

"Earth. At last." He smirked to himself he had finally found the Planet he had been looking for. Steadily he stood up trying not to strain his servos, his knees still bent a little and his back lurching forward as he leaned against the wall his left hand placed around the edge of the hole.

"Where are you Megatron?" he snarled with venom in his voice. Megatron the great leader of the Evil Decepticons was on Earth, somewhere in the Nemesis no question he would have an army with him as well as his loyal Communications expert Soundwave. The Cybertronian straightened himself catching his head on the leak causing it to crack and turn the once annoying drip into a forceful pour as Energon rained on him, the combination of hitting his head and the Energon pouring on him caused him to slip and fall back and slam against the back of the ship causing it to groan and topple backward falling into the crevice.

The ship went into free fall as the Cybertronian held on for his very existence, the Energon pouring onto him and into his wound and through small cracks in his head seeping through into his metallic cranium, he snarled in rage at his misfortune only for a stray piece of metal and slam into the back of his head inadvertently activating his Transformation scanner and scanning the sheer rock face infront of him. His body beginning to twist and turn the Energon seeping through him having an unusual effect on his change, he roared out only to be silenced as the ship slammed into the ground.

**Jasper Nevada. Two Hours Earlier.**

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP! This sound continued in tune, an annoying noise intended to raise the sleeping. It wasn't going to work this time. It may awaken him, but it would not force him up.

Jackson "Jack" Darby, Sixteen years of age living with his single mother. Only a few months ago was his life plain, and ordinary. Then he met "her" to others, she was but a shiny expensive Motorcycle, her blued alloy shined like blue gold in the sunlight and whose shape was like that which had been crafted by the Gods themselves. She was beautiful. The curious teenager had merely straddled it, only to imagine how it would feel to own such a Masterpiece of Art and Machinery. Little did he know, the innocent thought would change his life, his world and his existence. No, it did not merely change, it transformed!

For this was no mere Motorcycle, but an advanced alien being of technological construct, a living machine, a Cybertronian, a Transformer. After an initial attack by unknown cars, did Jack find that this motorcycle was in fact a large blue metal Amazon, his gaze upon her was awe struck and terrified, the cars had shifted into demon counterparts of this amazon.

"If you tell anyone about me, I'll hunt you down" were the first things she had said to him. Her words scared him, but that memory while only months ago felt like a life time ago. She had eventually shown him others like her whom he would come to see as not only his friends but his family.

Her name was Arcee and now she was his Guardian, his friend, no he debated mentally, his Best Friend. Right?

His cell phone chimed it tune indicating someone was calling, only for the tune to shift immediately.

"Morning Jack" came a warm voice. He smiled to himself, and picked up the phone.

"Morning Arcee" he replied in a sleepy groggy manner.

"It's Saturday Jack." Was all Arcee merely needed to say, Jack could almost feel her smile on the other side of the line. Jack blinked. Saturday? Saturday! No School Or Job! Jack jumped up out of bed.

"Let me get a quick shower and something quick for breakfast and I'll be right there!" his words full of excitement, Saturday to him at the very least meant he could spend all day with Arcee, unless a certain White and Red Medical bot had something else to say about it. But regardless he was up and rushing to get himself ready.

'_A quick shower_.' Arcee thought to herself, humans and their ways, very strange, but hygiene was a big thing on this planet, well it was in Jasper. She could remember a few missions with Jack in the past where they had to travel to such places where it had seemed they'd have gone back in time a hundred or so years by the state of filth on the streets.

"… and that's just the People." Jack had commented at the time, she gave a light chuckle to that, even now she found it slightly humorous, her thoughts changed again. Jack in the shower, alone, unclothed, washing that dark black hair of his, cleaning his smooth skin now wet and sleek from the drizzling warm water.

'_Stop It_!' She thought to herself, why had she imagined that. Sometimes she cursed the fact there was little to do in Darby residence's Garage which would let her mind wander.

As he said Jack soon entered the garage greeted by Arcee in her vehicle form.

"You ready to Rock and Roll?" she asked using a human term she had picked up from her time on Earth as the garage doors opened behind them. Jack nodded eagerly and put on his helmet and a jacket then mounted her, placing one hand on her he smiled, Arcee internally twitched from the touch, it was unexpected yet, strange it was warming. She was brought back out of her thoughts as Jack spoke.

"Let's do this partner" he replied to her question before placing his hands on the handlebars and lifted his legs up allowing Arcee to reverse then speed down the tarmac before them.

Arcee and Jack over the months had grown on each other, becoming good friends and having a powerful bond, they had suffered and endured much in their time together, from psychotic femme Spider-Bots with a sick fetish for decapitation and mass genocide, they had endured having to go her now dead home planet to retrieve an artefact that would allow Jack to restore the memories and mind of the Autobots leader Optimus Prime. In this time, Arcee had watched Jack grow maybe not physically but emotionally and mentally, becoming a brave and strong willed man.

Arcee was proud she thought to herself, at times she had liked to think she had aided him I growing, but pondered if all those qualities were just burning inside of him ready to be released. Either way, she wouldn't change him for anything and likewise she had opened herself to Jack, letting him closer to her spark after she put up a barrier of hate and rage around herself after the death of her previous partner, Cliffjumper. She wanted to be with no one, only wanted to fight, and kill and destroy the Decepticons then, then she was unsure, she had guessed she'd go offline before she killed them all, but that was what she had wanted, that was before she had met Jack. Now she had reason to live, reason to exist. Jack.

She thought back to his touch, he had touched her before but, he'd stroked her, and patted her whilst in vehicle form, she hadn't felt anything then, had she? Had She? She was beginning to wonder if she had but hadn't noticed till now.

"Arcee?" Jack's voice spoke up catching her attention, thankfully she thought to herself to keep her distracted.

"What's up Jack?" she asked again thankful for the mental distraction.

"Oh, I was just wondering why you were quiet."

Arcee had been quiet she realised, normally she and Jack would be having idle yet comfortable chatter between one another about plans they had for the weekend or complain and talk about some "undesirables" who would normally torment Jack at his place of work the K.O Burger.

Arcee despised that place with all her spark, how such a place could turn someone as confident, brave and strong as Jack into an unemotional monotone "zombie" whose mere existence was like a Living Nightmare full of berating and insults from other youths as they got their menial fat and chemical filled processed foods from him. A human term came into her head which she believed fit them perfectly.

'_Filthy Degenerates who were not worthy to kiss the excrement from bottom of Jack's sneaker_.' That's what she thought of them, if she had her way, she'd show up at that window and crush the engine of their car then ride off laughing. But no, she was to remain in disguise, she wasn't allowed to interfere in such a way. Perhaps there would be a way though given time.

"Sorry for being so quiet Jack, I'm just doing a lot of thinking is all, a lot has happened in the last few months, and it only seems to be processing now." She gave a slight chuckle something else she felt free to do around Jack. He joined her in the chuckle and patted her.

"I know what you mean, us meeting, Airachnid, Cybertron, Orion Pax" he listed to her and she mentally nodded. "Yeah we've been through a lot"

"But we always came out on top didn't we? We always seemed to get around our problems, and it's because of you" her words were warming to Jack's soul, she hadn't meant her words to be so warm but it was how she spoke them, it came from her Spark, her soul. She turned her mirror to get a better look at him, she could just see bright crimson around his cheeks under his helmet.

She could have said something perhaps only to embarrass him a little see if he could go any redder, the thought of it made her laugh to herself, but she allowed him to react as he felt fit to.

"No Arcee, no. It was you, I was just trying to help" his words were spoken truthfully at least as far as he was concerned.

"No Jack. You were the one who gave me the strength to go on, you were the one who stayed in control when chaos was all around us. You're brave Jack, very brave."

Why was she talking to him like this? What was wrong with her, she was afraid she was making the air around them very awkward so quickly decided to change the subject.

"So I've been thinking." She spoke in her attempt to break the awkwardness that she felt was building up around them.

Jack sighed thankfully praise whatever deity was out there for the change of topic, he was becoming rather embarrassed and felt himself becoming shy, he didn't believe he was strong or brave, he just believed he did what was needed to be done, but he was terrified. He was the one who saw Arcee as the strong one, the brave one.

"You know, if we ever get the chance we should go on one of those "vacations" I hear June talk about so much"

June Darby was Jack's single mother. Originally she had no clue as to the existence of Arcee or her Autobot brethren, or the constant danger Jack had been in. But after an "incident" she found out everything, terrified at first like any good parents should be, she slowly mellowed seeing as how Jack wanted to do nothing more but to help The Autobots, to this she allowed him to do so despite her worry.

"That's actually a great idea Arcee" Jack spoke out

"Well I'm full of them partner" Arcee laughed in response, Jack laughed with her.

"So where you thinking? Anywhere in particular?" Jack asked raising his brow

"Somewhere where we can just relax, no Cons, No MECH, no Distractions." Arcee could imagine it now, just somewhere anywhere, she and Jack just relaxing and laying on the ground lazily without a care in the world at least for that minute.

"No Ratchet" Jack added quickly with a smile on his face causing Arcee to laugh again. Jack was good at making her laugh, another thing she liked about him, he could always make her smile.

"Yeah no Ratchet. And No Miko" Arcee followed on, Jack winced visibly winced. "Yeah you can imagine it, walking along a nice warm beach, sun setting the soothing sea breeze then all of a sudden…" Arcee went quiet, confused Jack leaned closer to her. " BOOM!" Arcee shouted out causing Jack to jump nearly out of his skin, gripping onto the handlebars tighter. "The entire Area is filled with the banging of drums and the mass orgy of "Metal" Noise"

Jack and Arcee both shuddered having pictured that serene moment only for it to be destroyed by the sounds of Heavy Metal.

"Yeah, no Miko" Jack commented after the thought.

Arcee turned off from the main road going out into the desert. Finally they could be free. Jack gave her the signs to let herself go as he gripped her handlebars securely and leaned forward, Arcee knew the signs, they'd done them so often it was like second nature. She let herself unwind putting her metaphorical foot down, her speed increases dramatically dust from the ground picking up in the wake. This is what it felt like to be alive they both thought to themselves. THIS! Was true freedom.

Arcee blazed down the dirt trail of Nevada, Jack gripping onto her in excitement. This was how they unwind, Jack leaned forward a bit further then tightened his legs around Arcee. She felt his legs tighten around her seat, he hadn't done that before and she was going no faster than she normally did when they were out here. Perhaps today was hotter than most days and he was beginning to sweat? But surely at this speed he'd be kept cool. Arcee ignored it for a minute as the rode down the dirt hills and away from civilisation.

Arcee slowed to a stop atop a mountain range that overlooked the horizon. Jack dismounted from her and removed his helmet and jacket, he turned his gaze to Arcee as her parts turned and shifted changing into her robot form and looked at the view before her, her hands placed on her hips. Jack was still awe struck when he saw her like this, her metal shined so beautifully in the sun, but even that was only a small part of her overall beauty, he couldn't name everything, he'd tried himself. He remember telling himself it was like small bits of perfect moulded into something which is beyond description. Arcee caught his gaze and looked down to her human charge.

"Something wrong Jack?" her voice was calming and peaceful as she looked at his hypnotised like gaze.

"Just enjoying the beauty" he said without thinking only catching what he just said once he saw Arcee's reaction turn from peace to surprise. "Ugh that's to say I'm enjoying the beautiful view" Jack stumbled with his sentence trying to cover his heart spoken words he looked down at the floor to not meet her eyes his face red with embarrassment as he scratched the back of his head. Arcee just looked at him, still surprised by his original words.

Was he really talking about the view? She wondered. Finally she imitated a coughing noise to grab his attention, she chose to put aside what he had first said, again like before to clear the air of the sudden awkwardness.

"Yeah it is a gorgeous view isn't it?" she said looking at the Horizon again, Jack looked up then at the mountain range before them.

"Yeah it is gorgeous" almost by instinct he turned his eyes to look at Arcee once more. She was his friend, his Guardian, he should be careful of what he says around her, he didn't know what was coming over him, what was wrong with the two of them today?

A few minutes seemed to pass like an eternity. But neither complained, it was so serene, so peaceful, like they were the only two in the world, though neither would admit it, for that brief moment, they wouldn't have minded if they were.

"Arcee!" came the Autobot medics voice in Arcee's communicator. Cursing mentally she placed two fingers from her right hand on the side of her head.

"Arcee here Ratchet, what's up?" she asked her tone of voice less than cheerful.

"We're picking up a signal on the outer reaches of Earth's climate, Optimus wants everyone in right now" Ratchet informed her, Arcee blinked and looked up to the sky as if she'd see anything. Shaking her head at her own action she looked down to Jack who was now looking at her.

"Okay Ratchet we'll be there as quick as we can" she released her finger from her head and placed her right hand on her hip. "Duty calls Jack, Ratchet has picked up something in Earth's atmosphere"

"Meteor?" Jack simply asked with a worried look on his face, Arcee shrugged and transformed back into her vehicle mode, Jack pulled his jacket back on and placed his helmet over his head then remounted her before she took off at speed towards the Autobot base.

Soon enough the pair had reached the Decommissioned Missile Silo now acting as the Autobots makeshift base. Arcee rode into the control room and stopped allowing Jack to dismount who in turn gave her enough space to allow her to transform, Jack removed his helmet and jacket as they walked up to everyone else who's optics and eyes were glued to the screen.

"Hey everyone, what we miss?" Jack asked placing down the items in his hands off to the side out of the way. His words caught the attention of their Leader Optimus Prime who turned to look at the approaching two and gave him a soft smile.

"Hello Jack, Arcee, Ratchet has located a phenomenon out the outer layers of Earth's gravitational pull, it seems to be crash landing" his voice was calm and strong, as was normal of Optimus.

"Is it a meteor?" Arcee asked repeating Jack's question from earlier.

"At first I thought it was, but then with Rafael's suggestion I searched for any Energon readings. It's a Cybertronian ship it seems we may have company." Ratchet told them, only turning to smile at Rafael once he mentioned his name.

"Arcee, I'd like you to scout out the landing zone of this ship. Find out who it is and see if they are hostile" Optimus turned to her as he gave her, her mission.

"Would I be alright to accompany her Optimus?" Jack asked as he looked up at him. Optimus turned to look at Jack but said nothing till he looked up to Arcee.

"It's your call Arcee, Jack is your charge" Optimus merely said, knowing by instinct that she would take him regardless, Arcee looked down to Jack with a worried expression on her face.

"Remember what happened Last time" Arcee spoke of the time when she and Jack had encounter Airachnid for the first time out in the forest. Jack remembered, he remembered all too well while Megatron was big and scary, Airachnid was scary on an entire different level, she could play with your mind and your fear.

"Well there can only be one Airachnid Arcee." Jack said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Thank Primus for that" Arcee replied with a thankful look on her face.

"Besides," Jack continued as he cracked his knuckle joints. "You can't get rid of me that easily" he said with a confident smirk.

Normally Arcee would have called someone who acted like that insane especially since the circumstances were so similar, but this was Jack. Jack Darby. Her Jack, he had the bravery to back up his confidence. She smiled then mentally did a double take. Her Jack? She shook her head then nodded to Ratchet pulling a lever causing a bright green light as a vortex of power opened up.

"Let's go Partner" Arcee turned and looked at Jack as the two of them walked through the wormhole and out the other side.

On the other side they found themselves where the initial crash landing took place. A large crater smashed into the ground leaving an imprint, Arcee looked around the immediate area for any danger, none, for now.

"So Decepticon or Autobot?" Jack asked as they walked to the damaged rock surface. Arcee knelt down for a closer inspection, her optics scanning the area with multiple different zooms.

"Not sure, just be on the lookout for anything that could give us a clue." Arcee didn't turn away from her search.

"I think I found something that "could" be a hint" Jack put much emphasis on the word could, Arcee blinked and turned around as Jack pointed to a large slab of metal. Arcee stood and walked over to Jack and looked, at the site her arms immediately unfolded as her drew her blasters.

"Decepticons. Again" she huffed in annoyance.

"How come every time an unknown someone crash lands it's a Con?" Jack chuckled half-heartedly with a sense of fear seeing the irony thus far with their luck

"Because the Universe loves us Jack, because the Universe loves us" Arcee smirked seeing the irony too. "So where is the ship, and where is the Con?" Arcee thought out loud scanning the area more thoroughly in case of ambush.

"Down there Cee." Jack called out gaining her attention once more. "Look at the grooves in rock, the ship tilted back and must have fallen down" Arcee nodded slowly, she hadn't noticed the grooves in the rock.

"Alright, I'll call Ratchet to bridge you back" Arcee said as her right hand reformed and pressed two fingers to her head.

"Like Hell you will Arcee" Jack's words were stern catching her off guard. "I can't, and I WON'T allow you to do this by yourself." Jack blinked surprising himself by his sudden outburst. Arcee merely stared in bewilderment, he'd yelled at her, he actually yelled at her, and she wasn't angry, she wasn't even a little upset, yet, there was a warmth in her spark from his words.

"Alright Jack" she conceded "You win but if things really go to scrap, THEN you're going, deal?"

Jack nodded slowly with a determined look on his face, she knew even then that look betrayed his head gesture, they could be up to their shoulders in molten magma and he wouldn't leave.

He wouldn't leave. Arcee once again thought to herself, a smile crept up on the side of her mouth. She closed her optics tightly. What was going on? What was different about today? Why were they both feeling so awkward at times today and why did she feel so warm in her spark. Questions for later.

"Alright Jack. Let's go" Arcee knelt down and grabbed Jack, being the smallest of the Autobots she and Jack being the tallest of their human allies, give or take an inch from June, this made Jack and Arcee the closest to equal heights. Although even then she stood a good Ten feet over him.

She wrapped her fingers around her body gently then looked down the crevice. There was the ship, no sign of the Con. Perhaps it died on impact. If only there were that lucky- Arcee thought to herself.

"Um Arcee how are we going to get do AGHHH!" Jack sentence turned scream switched when Arcee jumped over the edge turning her left blaster into her arm and retracted her blade slicing into the rock face to slow their descent.

Arcee landed hard on her feet her bladed arm retracting to form her blaster once more. She looked around sweeping the area with her optics before placing down Jack then switch her hand into her other blaster.

"Get behind me and keep an eye out" Arcee ordered, Jack didn't argue about this he hid behind her making sure there was a safe distance between himself and her feet.

The area was quiet Arcee strafed carefully around the ship.

"Two holes" Arcee observed. As they made their way around it.

"Yeah one must have been damage from the crash landing, and the other?" Jack looked up to Arcee who didn't turn her head as she answered.

"The other from the Con breaking out." Arcee looked at the ship with narrow eyes. The second hole was a mess definitely not blaster fire, more like it had been ripped open with a blade, a lot of blades. "Stay here Jack I'm moving in" she ordered not giving Jack time to argue as she made her way cautiously towards the damaged Decepticon ship.

It was a large ship, similar to Airachnid's in design. She climbed through the outer turned hole and began to stalk the corridors of the large vessel.

Jack was waiting outside patiently but anxious, it had been very quiet, he didn't even know if Arcee hadn't been ambushed.

"No, she'll be okay, she'd tougher than that" Jack slapped his cheek gently punishing himself for going down that trail of thought. "She'll be fine." He let out a deep sigh before his attention was caught by the sound of blaster fire. "ARCEE!" Jack took off into a full paced sprint towards the ship climbing up and through the hole before landing inside.

He looked down seeing the dirt filled tracks left behind by Arcee's feet using them as a guide Jack ran off to go find her. Eventually he found her blasters primed towards the darkness, she was shaking a little, something was definitely wrong.

"Arcee?" Jack called quietly, Arcee turned suddenly in surprise readying her blaster Jack fell back onto the floor. "ARCEE WAIT!" shuck her head seeing the fear in Jack's eyes.

"Jack?! I told you to wait outside!" she stared at him angrily from defying her orders.

"I heard the blaster shots and I was terrified I had to come find you" Jack stood up slowly his voice full of fear not because of Arcee being angry at him because of the look of shock she had upon her face and her shaking body. Jack's words warmed her spark, and quickly her tone went from rage to caring.

"Jack you don't have to worry about me, I'm fine."

"No you're not Arcee your trembling!" Jack blurted out still pumped from the sudden adrenaline. Arcee checked herself over, she was trembling, she looked at him her face showing both worry a slight fear. "What's going on Arcee?" Jack was beginning to get scared the only time he'd seen her like this was when they first discovered Airachnid's ship.

"Something is stalking me Jack, now it'll be stalking you" she feared greatly for Jack's safety as she stood up. "I don't know what it is I haven't been able to keep my sights on it, it's fast , very fast, but from the sound of it. It's bipedal" Arcee trained her blasters on the darkness again. "It moves in the shadows staying out of the light. I've barely caught glimpses of the scrapping thing." She gritted her teeth and once again cautiously walked towards the darkness. Jack followed her this time he wouldn't leave his side no matter what.

"I'm staying with you this time partner, you'll have to physically carry me out" Jack told his partner, Arcee didn't take stop to look at him as she scanned the area.

"Don't tempt me Jack, don't tempt me" she retorted back to him. Jack kept behind her, she quickly looked over her shoulder to take note of where Jack was. She let out a mechanical sigh, another thing she'd picked up from her time with their human friends.

"Just stay behind me and watch my feet." She looked at him as she spoke her words strong and demanding, Jack looked up at her with a look of determination Arcee look into his eyes and her features softened. "Please Jack, I don't want you to get hurt"

Jack's own features softened and he looked at the floor, he would admit they were both pretty tense, him perhaps more scarred than he'd let on, something was unnerving Arcee, and only Airachnid could make her do that.

"I'll be careful, I promise" he placed his right hand on her leg to comfort her best he could, a warm sensation grew in her spark. That feeling again she thought, so warm, she could felt like this feeling could make her float, but it made her feel strange. What was it? She closed her optic then looked back into the darkness.

"I'm sorry you're spending your Saturday here Jack, I'm sure there are plenty of other things you could have done instead." Arcee apologised to Jack as she carefully made her way towards the shadows Jack following in tow.

"Hey I'm here with my Partner, seen a beautiful um view." Jack thought back to the location Arcee had taken them too, it was indeed a gorgeous sight.

'_and the horizon wasn't too bad either'_ he thought and chuckled to himself

" and besides." He continued "Nothing has tried to kill me yet, so, so far I think today's going pretty well."

Arcee gave a short laugh, it was touching that he was looking past the possible danger and concentrating of the better part of their situation.

For minutes there was nothing but near silence. Every now and then Jack would hear heavy thuds in the distance followed by a sharp clanking noise, there was definitely something here. Arcee was saving her Energon for when she needed it she kept her blasters primed at all times as they stalked the corridors for the unseen enemy. This behaviour definitely seemed to be very Airachnidesque, minus the threats and warnings she'd give to play with her prey.

'_So, are we the hunters? Or are we the hunted?" _Arcee wondered as they took another step around a corner. Again nothing, the entire power in this ship was offline. She turned her head to look at a damaged but slightly open door.

"Jack keep your eyes open, I'm going in" Arcee ordered her human charge as she moved to the wall beside the door, it like everything on this infernal ship was damaged, the sliders were inoperative, she'd have to blast the door open to get in, Jack kept hidden best he could and watched her.

With a solid Energon shot from both her blasters Arcee got the door open leaving a small cloud of energy vapours, Arcee dived and rolled into the room her blasters moving around in line with her optics, she gasped at the sight before her and stood slowly.

Decepticons, dozens of them, what was left of them, torn to pieces and merely left in here like a mass grave. Her optics detected no life signals no Energon, they'd been dead for a some time now.

"Come on Jack, area's clear" Arcee called out as she turned around seeing Jack walk around the corner he smiled up to Arcee then turned his sight to the mass grave of Cons.

"Good god" he walked in carefully analysing the bodies from his distance, some had faces that had twisted looks of agony and horror all over them. Other were facially like Vehicons and Eradicons. "Who would do such a thing, even if they are Cons?" Jack didn't turn away from the bodies as Arcee walked over to them to investigate.

"I don't know Jack, some group with a personal vendetta maybe, either way. I doubt this was done by just one. At least I hope not." Arcee knew there existed some Cybertronians who could cause so much destruction and they weren't just Decepticons either.

Jack watched on as Arcee moved pieces of arms, damaged bodies and limbless torsos, the carnage was catastrophic, and IF what she saw before is what did all this to all these Cons, she and Jack could be in trouble, then something caught her sight she moved a few pieces, the head of an offline con stumbled and roll out of the pile, his face full of sheer terror.

Jack watched as Arcee picked it up, bewilderment and shock all over her.

"What's wrong Arcee? Do you know him, did you?" Jack was trembling as was his voice. Arcee shuck her head in a jittering motion, then stopped and nodded.

"I knew him, and I bet the others would too" Arcee examined the head in her hands, the head alone was large Jack put together a mental imagine of how big this Cybertronian was, possibly between the height of Bulkhead and Optimus, a definitely big con.

"His name was Switchblade" Arcee continued catching Jack's attention. "He was well known to the Autobots, loved using his blades over blasters, and he had a lot of concealed blades, in his arms, back, legs, feet. He was a powerful con, one I …" Arcee stumbled over her words. "… I never thought I'd see him like this, with a look like that. During the war on Cybertron, Switchblade was deadly, very deadly a definite con to use when they wanted to clear a room of Autobots. If someone could do this to him then. We ARE in trouble"

Jack let out a loud gulp as Arcee threw the head across the room.

"Can't say I'm not glad to see him like it though, he got what was coming to him" Arcee finished then looked at Jack

"Then, if these cons are all dead, then wouldn't it make sense that an Autobot is here?" Jack asked his partner, she averted her look from him, he had a point it would heavily suggested some powerful Autobot, but not even some of the most brutal bots were THIS brutal, this was definitely a Con job.

"Just stick close to me." Arcee redrew her blasters and walked to the door Jack following in from behind, Arcee looked around the corner and carefully aimed. "Clear" she voiced and walked on Jack keeping up with her best he could.

Jack looked around carefully. Then looked behind him in case they were being followed.

"You know Arcee, maybe whoever was here left after…" Jack's words were cut short as he heard a loud crash, he turned back around seeing a large hole in the wall and Arcee gone. "ARCEE!" He heard her struggling outside, the line from the sun casting enough light to get a glimpse of something. A tail? A reptilian tail?

Arcee winced changing her blasters back to hands and grabbed the abnormally large and vicious creature, she placed her feet under it then kick it off of her.

Jack came running out of the ship towards her as she stood, they both looked at the creature that had them stalking the ship.

"No way" was all that escaped Jack's lips. Before them was a large, abnormally large Utah Raptor. The Beast got up from the floor and roared at them bellowing a loud prehistoric cry of rage.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Rise of the Warrior, Fall of the Maiden

Early that day Arcee and Jack had been given the mission to scope out the remains or a recently crash Cybertronian ship. Finding the ship a Decepticon ship, Arcee and Jack carefully made their way around the ship in case of any Con survivors, only to stumble upon a mass grave of torn apart Decepticons, with something else stalking the shadows keeping it eye on its new prey.

Now their stalker revealed to them. Arcee and Jack stare at the large reptilian creature once thought by mankind to be extinct.

"What the scrap is THAT thing?" Arcee trained her blasters on it the beast now keeping its distance merely rolling it's large but agile body staring down at Arcee hissing and snarling like that savage beast it was.

"It's a Dinosaur." Jack said in amazement and bewilderment. Arcee tilted her head a little but kept her focus on the beast.

"A What?" She asked, Jack was once again realised the Cybertronians had little to no grasp of what Earth was once like unlike humans did, they had no idea of the existence of Dinosaurs.

"A Dinosaur, they were large powerful reptiles that walked the Earth."

"Were?" Arcee queried her stance no faltering.

"Well yeah, they're supposed to be extinct, for few hundred million years" Jack like Arcee kept his eyes on the Ancient Reptile before them. "But to be honest, I never heard them grow to this size" Jack observed, he'd remember many of the ancient beasts did indeed grow to enormous sizes but this creature was like a towering giant, alone standing much bigger than Arcee.

"Yeah well, it's time to send this creature back with the rest of its kind" Then with that Arcee began to fire her blasters at the beast, sending fast bolts of Energon in its direction. The Beast outmanoeuvred the shot dodging left, dodging right and ducking under the blasts before setting of into a full sprinting charge towards Jack and his Guardian.

"STAY HERE!" Arcee yelled with command as she ran to the beast blasting bolt after bolt of Energon. A few stray shots scraped against the Beast's thick hide, with acrobatic grace she jumped up into the air her blasters twisted turning and retracting as her hands and blades extended as she now came down upon the beast, only for it to retaliate with a quick spin and a solid slap with its powerful tail sending Arcee hurtling into the rock face.

"ARCEE!" Jack cried out as he ran to her only to stop once he felt cold slit eyes dawn on him. Jack turned seeing the overgrown raptor stare down at him its tail swishing back and forth behind it. Jack gulped watching it screech and roar stretching it's fingers and stomp over to him lowering its head to look closer at its human target.

Jack backed up from the beast as it followed him drawing closer step by step. The sound of shifting rubble caught the beasts attention only for to see a blade rise up and slice through its thick skin the force of the attack knocking it's head upwards.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Arcee yelled in pure rage after upper cutting the Raptor with his blade doing less damage than she thought, but cared less, only wanting that beast to get away from her Jack, she grabbed it by its throat then with all her might fuelled by her rage and need to protect Jack spun around and threw the reptile away from Jack.

Jack watched in awe as his protector this mighty amazon of a robot threw the much larger Reptile and watched it's body slam into the ground with a earth shaking thud. Jack looked up to Arcee in concern for her wellbeing.

"Arcee? Are you okay?" Jack called out to her gaining her attention, she turned to him, her face still full of rage shocking Jack. Slowly as if realising it was Jack, Arcee shook her head and nodded to him.

"I'm fine Jack but you've got to get out of here, this THING is surprisingly strong" Arcee watched as Jack shook his head.

"No Arcee I'm not leaving you with that thing, I don't want to leave you"

Arcee sighed, not out of frustration but as if for the first time she felt a breath of air, Jack's words sent warmth through her entire metallic body. He cared so much for his friends, but was it something else why he cared so much about her. They were close being Child and Guardian but,

'_No focus Arcee, this "Dinosaur" is powerful, I'd have thought my blade would have removed the scrapping things head."_ She gritted her metallic teeth looking back at the raising Raptor.

"No Jack PLEASE, I can't fight this thing AND protect you from it. I'll give you time to get away." Arcee was pleading with him, she didn't realise but Jack could see that she was pleading with him with her eyes as well, her eyes had a look of warmth and worry to them, sorrow.

Jack knew about Tailgate and Cliffjumper she knew Arcee didn't want to lose another partner, but Jack didn't want to lose one in the first place he hesitated earning Arcee's face to look down in anger.

"GO!" she yelled her voice full of rage, Jack stumbled back watching as her face changed to worry "Please go." Jack couldn't do anymore, her words had broken his defiance and he complied, turned and ran. Arcee tightened her fists she didn't want to yell at him, she felt cold after that her eyes tightly shut only for them to open as she heard the scraping of rock from behind her.

She turned and saw the beast running to her, she focused and shifted left arm into her blaster as she unsheathed the blade in her right.

"Come on you over grown lizard." She waited getting into a low combat stance as the monster charged at her. She could fight better now that she knew Jack wouldn't be in danger of being crush under it or worse still under her.

The Reptile lashed out leaping at her with its powerful legs. Arcee knelt down then jumped over it blasting at the back of the beasts head slamming it's head into the ground, she spun herself in mid-air then dragged the blade of her right arm across it's back slicing it down the middle finally coming to land in a crouch position and watching as the Reptile toppled over itself landing on its damaged back.

"And stay down if you know what's good for you" Arcee narrowed her optics truly expecting the beast to stay down only to hear a quiet laughter. She stood up suddenly and looked around peering up at the top of the rocks. "Who's there? Show yourself!" Arcee drew both blasters and backed herself against the rock face, the laughter growing louder, she audio receptors her "ears" began to pinpoint the location of the sound. She looked in the direction of the thought slain beast, then she saw it, the beasts eyes closed its lips pursed as if it was trying to hold back it's laughter.

"What, are you?" she asked aiming her blasters at the now loudly laughing Raptor, Jack had only just hidden around the gaping hole caused by the Raptor having jumped on Arcee. He looked on in confusion at the laughing Dinosaur.

The beast got up shaking itself, Jack would see the slice wound on its back beginning to close rapidly. Jack watched on in horror at the sight, there wasn't even blood.

'_This is no Dinosaur from any text book I've read'_ Jack watched on as Arcee kept her blasters aimed at the animal she strafed cautiously from the rock face to directly infront of it.

"What are you?!" Arcee repeated putting more power into her words and using a more commanding tone of voice. The Raptor just laughed then shook it's head, standing still ever so quiet looking at the ground it's large clawed toes tapping at the ground.

Arcee didn't move, didn't flinch, one hesitant move could cost her, her life, or worse Jack's life.

'_This beast? Is this what caused that mass grave?'_ Arcee wondered to herself. She was unsure but from the look of its large teeth and it's claws it was definitely possible.

'_No it's not possible'_ she mentally countered herself watching the unmoving beast. '_How could something like this thing take down a Con like Switchblade, big or not, it's organic, it's Earth based'_

Suddenly the beast stepped forward roaring in its primal rage, the intelligence in the laugh seemingly gone. Arcee fired her blasters at it only for it to crouch and jump over them, Arcee tried to follow the speed of the agile reptile agile movement only to hear it land behind her with a earth shaking thud and feel the power it had behind its tail once more as it slammed down upon her dropping her to her knees then once again dropping her straight to the floor.

Arcee cried out from the pain.

'_How could an something from Earth be this physically strong?' _ she tried roll out of the way of the Raptor's third tail strike as the powerful came limb came crashing down straight onto her right arm, she yelled out catching the Raptor's attention turning its head as it heard a metallic shifting. Arcee fired a powerful bolt of Energon into the Raptor's face sending it flying back and hitting the ground.

"ARCEE COME ON!" Jack yelled out hoping she'd heard him. She had as she looked back at him and raised her two finger from her right hand to her head.

"Ratchet I need a ground bridge" she awaited the medic's reply. "Ratchet? Ratchet are you there? Scrap!" She cursed loudly then looked towards Jack. "My com signal is being jammed!"

"WHAT HOW?!" Jack yelled back in reply. Arcee was about to answer when they both heard a metallic shifting coming from behind Arcee. She turned around cautiously as the Raptor now stood up laughing.

"That was entertaining" The raptor spoke with a deep throaty voice. Arcee and Jack stared on in shock. More so Jack than Arcee.

"Dinosaurs can't talk" Jack said to himself uncaring if anyone heard him.

Arcee watched on as the raptor brushed itself down with his hands and tail then something clicked.

"Decepticon!" she snarled drawing her blades. Jack looked at her then at the raptor.

"Well done!" was all it said the metallic rumbling growing louder.

"T-Cog repaired, Transformation Enabled" the Raptor's on board computer told him with his mind.

Then with that, Arcee and Jack watched as the lizards skin split open revealing metal underneath, parts adjusted swung out into different directions, the Beast's legs folded upwards towards where the reptile's neck once was its Two of its clawed digit split into and shift creating fingers while the large claw swivels to create a thumb. It's head shifted as it began to fold into a space in its chest , the space which was caused as the front chest and stomach area of the beast folded out onto the ground it's reptilian arms folding up to the side of its ankles two plated unfolding from the bottom of the two torso halves creating feet. It's tail shifted folding in on itself as it attached itself to the Cybertronian reptile. A blue face head with a brown metallic helmet on top lifted up from its Cybertronian torso thus completing its transformation.

It's blued metallic flesh shone in the mid-day sun, it's semi organic looking skin covering it's thick alloy, a very primal looking set of teeth in its mouth something similar to Megatron's . Truly this Con looked more primal and more animalistic than any Con either Jack or Arcee had seen before.

All the while Arcee had been stepping back closer to Jack watching the reptilian beast turn into a very tall Decepticon

"Cybertronians can change into organic looking animal?" Jack asked not taking his horrified eyes from the newly formed Con, it was definitely was of the tallest Cons he'd seen, while having a thinner frame than Optimus it stood up taller than Autobot leader.

"No they can't, but somehow he has." Arcee replied quietly glancing down at Jack before looking back up to the Con. "IDENTIFY YOURSELF!" she ordered, not really expecting an answer.

The Decepticon put its hands behind it's back and drew out a long blade created from spiked segments with its right hand and with its left hand grabbed the reptilian forms tail, which split open revealing the blue alloy of its skin.

"I AM DYNOBOT!" He roared out as the two segments of his tail began to spin Energon fuelling the two pieces as the created a powerful spinning shield.

Jack looked at Arcee who kept her eyes trained this Dynobot.

"Have you ever heard of him?" he asked so only Arcee would hear him.

"No Jack, but that doesn't mean I'm going to go underestimate him." Arcee replied her blasters trained on Dynobot.

Dynobot merely watched them, unmoving the spinning shield still going in his left hand he knew she was speaking to that carbon based life form. What were they? Haymans? Normans? Something like that.

The battlefield was a stand still neither Cybertronian moving the whistling of the wind was the loudest thing in the area.

"What's the plan Arcee?" Jack asked as he looked up at her. Arcee dared to look at Jack even with one optic.

"Still the same partner, I battle the con, you stay hidden" Arcee looked at him "And please Jack no arguments, I don't know what the Con is capable of and the last thing I need is you getting hurt because of me"

Arcee's words near melted Jack heart he reached out and touched her leg.

"Arcee, I know your stronger than that, I know I'd never get hurt because of you."

Arcee sighed once more, his words, again so soft, full of emotion. No, she couldn't allow Jack to get hurt, she refused to let that happen.

"But…" Jack continued gaining Arcee's attention "… I don't want to feel useless, you said there's a jammer right?"

Arcee thought for a moment, it would keep him away from the battlefield and she did need to get rid of the jammer.

"Alright you search the area of the Jammer, it may be in the ship, since I know the coms were working up above." She pointed upwards with her optics as she mentioned being out of the crevice.

"Alright I'll go you be careful, please Arcee" Jack begged before running off to find the jammer.

Arcee smiled. As she watched him run. Before turning her optics back to Dynobot the Con still where he was albeit he was no longer in his stance his shield was no longer spinner and he seemed to be looking at his sword.

"Why so Patient?" Arcee called out to Dynobot regaining his attention. She watched as his shield started rotating again.

"You were distracted by the Carbon Based Organism! I will fight when I know my opponent is not distracted!" Dynobot called out, surprising Arcee a little. A Con who waits for their opponent to finish talking? That was a new one on her, other cons would have started blasting or attacking her regardless.

Now knowing his opponent was back in mind for their fight he charged along roaring like the animal he once was, Arcee stood her ground firing her blasters at him only for them to be blocked with his spinning shield. Cursing mentally Arcee withdrew her blasters and unsheathed her blades running at Dynobot for close quarters combat.

Elsewhere Jack scoped around the area, slipping through holes in damaged doors, starting first in the room of Cybertronian corpses, wondering if the jammer would be in there. He searched the corners, searched around the bodies. Nothing.

"Alright, next room" he spoke to himself clarifying his next move, he carefully made his way out of the room peeking outside at the battle commencing, Arcee was swinging her bladed arms with skill and precision like some form of ancient Chinese assassin, however the large Dynobot continued to block the blow with his shield and sword.

Against his better judgement he continued to look for the Jammer, perhaps it would be in the cockpit, as the rest of the doors were locked. He ran down the corridors retracing his steps until he found the side hole, he climbed up the broken pieces of metal only to slip cutting open his arm on a sharp piece as he hit the ground on the other side. Jack held his arm gritting his teeth in pain is sleeve cut wide open with blood pouring out of his wound.

'_Ahhh Shit, that fucking hurt!'_ Jack fought back tears of pain as he ripped the rest of his sleeve and wrapped it around the gash in his arm hoping it would slow the blood flow. He panted in agony looking at the wound, it was too deep. Thank God he thought as he bandaged himself up best he could, he looked around seeing the broken cockpit of the ship at the front end and ran towards it in hopes of finding the jammer.

The cockpit was like a bomb site. Rubble from the rocks, shattered glass and metal everywhere. Jack was having doubts about the jammer being in here but carefully made his way in avoiding the sharp and jagged pieces everywhere, he wouldn't leave it to chance he'd look for it in the depths of Hell if he had too.

Jack was cautious and careful of where his foot fell, one wrong move, one badly placed footfall, one slip, and it's be lights out, permanently.

'_Skewered on bits of rubble and debris, that'd be the PERFECT way to go out after everything I've been through' _ He thought to himself as he carefully made his way around.

Arcee crashed into the side of the ship's hull her face full of pain before she looked at the aggressive Dynobot, his jaw wide open letting out a slow predator like groan he was in a kneeling stance his legs apart keeping his body low his shield upfront in his left hand spinning away as it had been through this whole fight, his sword behind him. Arcee noted the sword's blade was made of sharp and pointed segments rather than one long blade like most swords. She hazard a guess that if the shield spun, so did the blade of his sword, if he got that thing spinning then it would be a major problem for her.

Dynobot lashed out moving with swift jab of his sword, Arcee turned her body to the side leaning on her left hydraulic like elbow to dodge the blade as it impaled through the ship with ease, she lifted up her leg then with a hard kick to the Cons midsection sent him tumbling back dropping his shield in the process. Arcee brought out her blasters and fired at Dynobot as he hit the ground the cons skin layer being sliced from his body revealing a deep bronze coloured armor underneath.

Dynobot roared out covering his face and spark with his arms as Arcee walked towards him her blasters pounding away at him. He snarled hearing the pounding of metal against the ground. Arcee was running her blasters not letting up as she kept him pinned down the barrage would have damaged his systems if he dropped his guard.

Finally the blasts stopped, Dynobot raised up his sword in defiance letting out a loud primal-mechanical snarl only for Arcee to send him knock him back with another uppercut with one bladed arm.

The femme Cybertronian unleashed her rage upon the defenceless Con slashing at his body with her blades bashing him hard with her feet, finally she sliced at his arm forcing him to drop his blade, she stopped in her tracks then sent her foot crashing into Dynobot's face knocking the Con off his feet and flying back a few feet.

"YOU WANT MORE CON?" she yelled out to the downed Decepticon. Dynobot twitched and began snarling as he began to stand up, "No you DON'T!" yelled out the femme as she drew her blasters from her arms preparing to fire only to be hit two powerful green bolt of Energon sending her through the air then crashing against the ground her armor buckling from the stress as she scraped across the hard rock surface of the floor.

Arcee winced looking up seeing Dynobot's green eyes change back to his red optics.

"Optical Blasters?" she groaned as she watched Dynobot walk up to her picking up his sword along the way.

"Yes. Highly upgraded if I do say" he smirked his helmet and face damage a cheek like section of his face destroyed from Arcee's viscous assault leaving his jagged animalistic teeth visible to those who saw him. "You have been an amusing adversary" he snarled the smirk still over his face. He lifted his sword up only for Arcee to grab his leg with her right hand. Dynobot looked down quickly just to catch sight of Arcee digging her left blade into his ankle.

Dynobot roared out in pain as he fell back clutching her blade still in his foot, he snarled as he kicked Arcee off of him with his other foot.

"Arcee!" came Jack's voice Arcee turned around still laying on her front she saw him staring right at her in horror "ARCEE! NO!" Jack ran towards her as fast as his legs could carry him, Arcee looked back at Dynobot then pulled herself to her feet and looked at Jack.

"No Jack! You've got to get out of here!" Arcee cried out as Dynobot stumbled to his feet.

Jack continued to run to his partner ignoring her words stopping only as the ground around them began to shake. Arcee an Dynobot stumbled and fell back as the ground erupted under them as a powerful drill shot up, transformed and landed infront of them.

"Well now, that was a cute little fight" came the venomous voice of Airachnid. Arcee looked up in horror Airachnid was between her and Jack. "Well now Arcee. You look terrible" the spider-bot smirked with her pointed canine like teeth. "Killing you now would be too easy, where's the fun in ending it so soon? Instead…" she turned and grabbed Jack with one hand in one swift motion. Arcee reached out for Jack

"No Airachnid! You leave him alone! It's me you want, leave Jack out of this!" Arcee all but begged the psychotic con, who in turn merely laughed brushing her clawed fingers through Jack's hair.

"You want him. Come and get him from me." She laughed then turned running into the ship on her eight spider legs. Arcee reached out to try and stop her but it was futile.

Arcee picked herself up and ran into the ship leaving behind the confused Dynobot.

"She interrupted MY fight!" he snarled clutching his clawed hand into a fist.

Arcee ran down the corridors of the ship she wouldn't let Airachnid go anywhere with Jack, she wouldn't allow her to hurt him, if she had, then she would unleash the Cybertronian equivalent to the Wrath of Hell upon Airachnid, and make Airachnid beg Arcee to end her miserable excuse of a life. Arcee narrowed her brow plates as she pulled out her blades she could still hear the rapid metallic clanking of Airachnid's spider legs.

Arcee felt her damaged servos beginning to slow her down, her internal repairs going into overdrive as she followed the sound of Airachnid.

'_Just hold on Jack, I'm right behind you'_ she thought to herself, she was cautious of every turn every damaged panel with the possibility Airachnid would show her ugly frame and get the drop on her, she snarled at herself she shouldn't have been so slow to get to Jack, but then her battle with Dynobot had left her in less than peak condition to say the least.

Arcee turned a corner only to feel a shot of webbing stick her left foot to the ground. Looking down in shock she looked up seeing Airachnid smirking laughing before creeping away into the darkness further into the ship.

Arcee growled like an animal before kneeling down and cutting her foot free with a blade from her arm, then chased after Airachnid.

"LET HIM GO AIRACHNID! I SWEAR TO PRIMUS YOU HURT HIM…" Arcee couldn't finish her threat she didn't want the idea of Jack being hurt in her head. She would not allow it. She would find him, she would crush Airachnid's head under her heavy metallic foot and crush the very life out of her spark.

Arcee chased after a now running and cackling Airachnid, the psychotic femme loving the chase, loving the sense of dread coming from Arcee and Jack the latter of which she held tightly in her hand, his look of fear overwhelming his rage.

"Aww don't worry Jack I'm not going to kill you." Jack looked up at her in confusion at her statement, Airachnid was looking frontwards as she turned corners, Jack blinked but once, his eyes reopening to the sight of Airachnid's face right infront of him "You don't get away so lucky!" she said a in dark lust filled voice her words dripping with venom and oozing with perverse thoughts. She'd bound him, cut Arcee down till the barest amount of life remains in her, defile Jack right infront of her before twisting the little human in two slowly letting Arcee listen to the sound of his cries and snapping spine.

Yes! This was perfect! Airachnid excited, whom ever that Decepticon was he'd given her the perfect mean for her vengeance Arcee damaged and in a weakened state, Airachnid didn't expect Arcee to put up too much of a fight in her state. Which just meant her plan would be all the more easier to execute.

From behind. They heard a heavy thud. Airachnid turned suddenly curious as to what had happened.

"Arcee?" the femme called out, she waited.

"Arcee you okay?" Jack called out soon after. A feeling of dread came over Jack not hearing a reply.

"Oh come now Arcee, don't tell me you've given up already" Airachnid hissed with a small scent of delight to her words as she back tracked heading towards the noise.

Shock and horror filled Jack to his very core at the site before him as Airachnid turned the corner. A thin frame laid against the corner at the far end of the hall unmoving pieces of Arcee's armor scattered across the floor near the body. Airachnid looked on smirking her mechanical tongue gliding across her fangs. Airachnid moved closer to it, to investigate her grip tightly fastened around Jack's body, her optics looking at the still unmoving frame, she could make out "wings" that stuck out from Arcee's back now damaged after her battle with Dynobot now shattered against the floor..

"Aww Arcee, it seems our new friend roughed you up a bit more than I'd have liked. But no matter." She turned to looked down at Jack whose face was a mask of horror, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Arcee no" Jack closed his eyes tightly trying to break free but not so much and budging any of Airachnid's fingers. Airachnid watch laughing at his futile attempt before aiming her hand at the body.

"So long Arcee, it was entertaining!" Airachnid aimed her free hand at the body charging up an Energon shot. Jack watched on as he heard and saw the glowing purple light from inside Airachnid's hand as she charged up the shot.

An arm reached out from around the corner grabbing Airachnid's arm and forcefully turning it ceiling, without warning Airachnid fired the blast up into the ceiling creating a single beam of light from the sun outside. Jack turned seeing Arcee part of her armor removed, used for the decoy she planted in the corner. Her plan to draw out Airachnid worked.

Arcee unleashed her fury upon Airachnid slashing at the Sociopaths armor digging a blade up into her elbow forcing her to drop Jack, Arcee dived grabbing Jack in both her hands and forward rolled behind Airachnid her turned with anger filling her spark only to see the raising Arcee turn and fire a blast of Energon directly into her face. Screaming and wailing back Airachnid grabbed her own face as the Energon blast connected. Arcee could have fought on, and normally she would have. But now her mission was to get Jack out of here.

"Arcee you're okay!" Jack yelled out in joy as Arcee turned and ran from Airachnid.

"Well I'm online, if that counts" it was then Jack realised the extensity of Arcee's damage, her battle with Dynobot really put her hurting on her and now she had less armor to defend herself with.

"I've got to get us out of here." Arcee spoke her feet skidding across the floor as she turned a corner, the sound of rapid metallic pangs coming from behind them, Airachnid was on their tail.

"I couldn't find the jammer anywhere" Jack called out disappointed with his failure

"I don't think Dynobot ever had one. Something tells me Airachnid has been here longer than we realise." She looked at Jack who looked at her with a questioning expression on his face, he was about to open his mouth but Arcee had guessed ahead.

"No I don't think Airachnid is working with him, he seemed more surprised than we did"

Jack nodded in thought, if Airachnid had the jammer it could be anywhere, how were they going to get help? He awoke from his thought feeling Arcee had stopped. A dead end.

"Scrap!" both she and Jack cursed in unison seeing the large wall, Airachnid wasn't too far behind. Arcee put Jack down and knelt down whispering quickly to him.

"Alright Jack now listen don't argue, but I'll keep Airachnid distracted I need you get the scrap out of here you hear me, you run like the pit like Unicron himself is after you." Arcee eyes pleaded with Jack and frankly this wasn't the time to argue reluctantly he agreed.

"Just make sure you get out of here too okay?" His eye were becoming red as tears began to fill them he placed a hand on Arcee's cheek and gave it a stroke, his touch so warm, Arcee felt like she too would cry if she could, the two looked upon one another staring deep into the others eyes, some began filling their souls.

"I'll be alright Jack, I promise" Arcee gave Jack the best smile she could muster.

"Just come back to me" he said in a caring but saddened tone of voice. Arcee was surprised by his words but nodded regardless. Arcee leaned back against the wall signalling to Jack to do the same, Airachnid was close, every close.

"WHERE ARE YOU!" she hissed from the ceiling as she came around the corner too late to notice Arcee jumping up and grabbing her around her neck and pulling down slamming her entire frame into the ground.

"RUN JACK!" Arcee cried out causing the teenager to take off around the corner into a sprint. Airachnid turned swiping at Arcee with her right clawed hand, Arcee used blocked Airachnid's attack by using her own right arm to push Airachnid's swipe away from her, leaving Airachnid open Arcee brought up her left bladed arm jabbing the black into Airachnid's side before placing her right arm on top of the menaces shoulders pushing herself up then brought down a hard left elbow servo upon Airachnid's head.

Enraged Airachnid pushed Arcee back then lashed out firing off her blasters Arcee dodging the shots best she could, scorch marks scraping against the side of Arcee's silver stomach region before leaping up and spinning in mid-air, sticking out her leg and sending it crashing into the side of Airachnid's face plates sending the Monstrous Cybertronian crashing into the Hull of the ship indenting it with his impression. Before Airachnid could react, Arcee reached out grabbing the Decepticon pulling her out of the wall, spinning her around then threw her through another of the Ships walls half of her body smashing through the wall, Airachnid's body went limp.

Arcee would have fought on, finished the monster while she had the chance, however she had to keep her promise to Jack, and Dynobot was still here somewhere, she knew she couldn't defend Jack against Dynobot, by now her Energon was running low and Dynobot could have allowed himself to recharge a little by now she'd have to find Jack soon and hopefully get out of the jammers range if she wanted to see the end of the day, metaphorically biting down on her pride she retreated from the fight in her search for Jack.

Jack had taken cover behind some metal crates in the storage room, he could hear the battle that just took place the sounds of pounding metal and the single Energon shot. He closed his eyes praying that Arcee would be alright. Then silence. He looked up stepping out slowly from his hiding place he made his way to the door, he looked around waiting for any confirmation on the victor.

"JACK!" Arcee voice called out, the sound of metallic feet sprinting down the metal floor was heard getting louder, Jack's heart skipped a beat, he ran out of the door his prayers answered she was alive, she was alive!

"ARCEE!" Jack yelled out as he stood in the hallway, suddenly seeing two reflected light on the ground he turned around and looked up to large Raptor Decepticon.

Dynobot stared down at him, his face and expression unreadable he gave out a quick snarl and began to walk towards Jack, turning Jack ran for his life he skidded and stopped seeing Arcee sprint out of the shadow leap over Jack and tackle the surprised Dynobot, the two flew back hitting the ground, Jack covered his ears and the ear bleeding sound metal scraping against metal like nails on a chalkboard. Arcee tried to subdue the Decepticon only to be pushed off with a powerful arm. Arcee hit the ground and rolled back jumping back onto her feet getting into a ready combat stance.

"Keep away from him!" Arcee warned her body shaking from her low Energon reserves, Arcee knew if she had to hold off Dynobot it wouldn't be for long. She looked at him, she'd been right earlier, it seemed he used his free time to allow himself some auto repairs.

He stood up snarling his optics focused on Arcee and her shaking body about to open his mouth he looked up then dived out of the way as two Energon bolts racked Arcee's back sending her forward. Jack turned around seeing an angered Airachnid stomp up to them using her robotic legs her spider limbs on her back.

"Arcee I'm surprised. I never knew you had that in you" Airachnid's mood seemed to change rapidly a hideous smile over her metallic mouth as Arcee twitched on the ground her back panels damaged her body's she winced in agony as she pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, Airachnid now stood behind her smiling.

"And we were having so much fun. What a shame you have to leave!" Airachnid watched as Arcee spun in one movement to retaliate only for Airachnid to smack the Autobot femme across the face with the back of her hand, sending Arcee to the floor. Airachnid smirked looking back at Jack and licked her fangs.

"Tsk, tsk, I was going to let Arcee watch YOU die, but I guess the reverse is good enough." Airachnid pointed her hand at Arcee, a panel in her palm opening up as she charged up another Energon shot.

"AIRACHNID DON'T! KILL ME INSTEAD!" Jack yelled out pleading his voice near breaking under his words.

Airachnid turned to look at Jack and only laughed.

"This is what I want to see little Jack, see one of your broken as the life drains from the other. Such a delicious ending to such an fun day" Airachnid turned her attention back to Arcee who was now looking over her shoulder at Airachnid, the Energon bolt still charging, obviously Airachnid wasn't leaving it to chance. Arcee turned her weakened gaze to Jack her eyes and face once full of agony now full of sorrow.

"I'm sorry Jack." Arcee spoke quietly Jack just hearing her tears flowing from his eyes. "Run"

Before another word was said a powerful blast of Energon was fired.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Together or Alone.

Jack watched on in horror from the hallway of the crashed Decepticon ship, before his eyes his world seemed like it was coming to a close. Arcee his guardian his friend was broken her armor shattered, defenceless as she lay on the floor struggling to move, her optics staring down at him in sorrow, her mouth moves though he is too lost I his mind to hear them, above her the Monster which has haunted and hunted them both for months, but haunted Arcee for centuries. Airachnid. Her palm pointed at Arcee's torso aiming for her spark chamber, Arcee unable to fight back keeps her optics on Jack a purple light reflecting off of her alloy from the charging Energon blast building up in Airachnid's hand.

He feels the air blow against him as he start running moving as fast as he can towards his fallen friend. He must do something he think to himself anything, and if not, he hopes to catch himself in the blast, for he would rather die than live on without her.

Airachnid smirks her wicked smile her fangs baring from her metallic mouth.

Then suddenly an Energon blast is fired, a loud explosion and brilliant light and a hot burning sensation in the air, Jack falls back covering his eyes, he was too late, he only awaited to hear the sound of the laughing Airachnid then beg her to put him out of his misery. But no.

"ARRGGHHH!" Airachnid wails out in pain Jack turns seeing Airachnid slammed against the wall her blast hitting the ground near Arcee's leg. How? What caused her to miss? What caused this?

His answers came from the sound of an animalistic snarl, Airachnid looked up seeing the large hulking Dynobot leap out from another room, wrapping his large hand around Airachnid's head picking her up and slamming her into the ground.

"THIS WAS MY FIGHT!" the Decepticon roars out in a primal rage lifting Airachnid from the ground then throwing her across the hallway in Jack's direction, Jack watched on ducking low as he could only to see the venomous spider fly further after a green blast of Energon sends her hurtling through the air and smashing against the far wall her servos buckling on impact she screams out in torture as her limbs buckle out of place.

Dynobot snarled stomping up towards Airachnid, whom was forced to stand with Six of her eight spider legs the other two shattered beyond use.

"Hmm, come along big boy, let me see what you've got!" Airachnid spoke in a sick seductive way lifting her arms and firing off a powerful shot of webbing. Dynobot lifted his damaged shield the tail pieces spinning once more as the webbing splatted onto it, the tail not showing signs of stopping as the webbing merely melted and evaporated from the produced heat, Dynobot pull his sword from his back the large Decepticon snarling with murderous intent.

"So you've got a useful toy." Airachnid hissed charging towards the larger male type Decepticon firing her blasters only for his shield to render the shots useless. The spinning shield began to slow down, it's damage taking its toll from his battle with Arcee eventually stopping letting multiple blasts from Airachnid hit against his body, Dynobot snarled in rage, his rage which overcame his pain charged forward, Airachnid stopping suddenly and fired off more webbing at him. The segments of his blade began to twirl vigorous, he snarled dived and rolled under the shot of webbing then came up infront of Airachnid both hands on the sword's handle then drove the blade deep into her chest plates the blade grabbing a hold of wiring as it spun inside her snapping them, twisting them misshaping her inner alloy, she wretched out letting out a scream louder than anything Jack had ever heard then watched as Dynobot pulled out his sword Airachnid's body slumping on the ground.

Jack looked away from Dynobot and ran towards Arcee.

"Arcee come on, this is our chance." Jack grabbed her hand trying to move her. Tears still dripping onto the floor from his cheeks. Arcee turned her optics weakly to Jack.

"No Jack" she groaned "This is it, I can't fight back. My systems are too damaged." Arcee stopped just barely managing to turn onto her side using her arm as support, not like she had much choice, hearing metal thuds against the ground, both she and Jack looked seeing Dynobot walk towards them. Arcee looked at Jack in panic "Please Jack GO! While you can!" Arcee tried to move but her systems were too badly damaged. Jack didn't move and looked at Dynobot as he walked up to them blade in hand.

With a look of determination Jack walked bravely towards Arcee's feet.

"JACK NO RUN PLEASE!" Arcee cried out begging him. Jack didn't listen tears welling up in his eyes again yet he remained strong.

"You want her Con, you have to go through me!" Jack said in defiance of Dynobot, staring up at him, Dynobot looked in shock at the small. Hayman? Norman? The whatever. His eyes turned from Jack to Arcee who was trying her best to move.

"You want to kill her, you're going to have to kill me first" Jack spoke once more.

"NO…" Arcee cried out her body still refusing to move, "… Don't you dare hurt him! Leave the boy alone!" Arcee's voice had near broken her murderous words coming out more of a plea than a threat. Dynobot looked her over, she was damaged, she was defeated, and the only thing stopping him from ending her existence was a small Carbon based Hayman, Norman, an organism.

'_No_' Thought Dynobot, _'Not the only thing.' _

Not a thing was said for minutes, not a muscle or servo twitched, Jack stared up at Dynobot, Arcee stared at Jack and Dynobot and Dynobot shifting his gaze from Jack to Arcee.

"I have no interest in hurt the boy" Dynobot finally spoke. Arcee looked at Dynobot in mix of confusion and shock. Normally cons would have destroyed anything connected to an Autobot.

"Be it far from me to fight an inferior foe" Dynobot continued looking down at Jack then up to Arcee, his gaze turning back down to Jack as he heard Jack speak.

"YOU'RE NOT HURTING ARCEE!" Jack yelled out to the large Decepticon. Arcee and Jack both expected different reactions, a loss of patience, possible leading to him killing Jack while Arcee, while she would be unable to stop him. But they heard chuckling, coming from the Con, then laughing, both watched on as Dynobot laughed loudly placing a hand on his forehead and one on his side. Neither said a word while the Con laughed then finally he calmed down enough and looked at Jack.

"You have bravery little one, I admire bravery." Dynobot smiled down to Jack with a large toothy grin, his face turned serious as he looked at Arcee.

"We had best get you out of range of the jammer"

Arcee and Jack stared at Dynobot in shock and disbelief. Was he trying to help them?

"What're you planning?" Arcee demanded to know, Dynobot looked at her with an unemotional face. "Like a Con would just help us if he didn't have something else in mind"

"I am NOT like them" He snarled defending himself. "I AM A WARRIOR!"

"And what's your point?" Jack called out. Dynobot looking down at him.

"If I were to kill you OR your femme it would be a kill lacking in HONOUR!"

"Since when do Decepticons care about honour?" Arcee spoke out not believe the Con for a minute.

"I care. Killing you now would be dishonourable, our battle was interrupted by another…" Dynobot tried to explain but was cut off short by Arcee.

"And how does that make a difference to a Decepticon?" anger boiling up in her circuits as she looked at him, she didn't believe him for one nano cycle

"… I wanted a fair fight, ONE ON ONE"

Jack looked up to Dynobot tilting his head a little, could they really trust a con, in the galaxy was there truly a Decepticon who believed in honour?

"What a load of scrap!" Arcee hissed staring daggers at Dynobot, he merely ignored her, normally he'd be enraged by any other who had questioned him and his code. But she was a Autobot, and he was a Decepticon, distrust came between their factions. Dynobot let out a soft snarl.

"My Code of honour dictates our fight cannot continue until you are capable of fighting back, at this time you are not." He snarled once more, Arcee couldn't believe her audio receptors, Jack couldn't believe his ears. A Decepticon who had a Code of Honour, even battling against an Autobot?

"So, it would seem we have a problem wouldn't it?" Dynobot looked at them

"How so?" Arcee asked calming down a little.

"I want to continue our fight, but you cannot fight back, you cannot move to get out of the jammer's range and no one knows where the scrap it could be."

"Then what are you saying?" Jack asked brushing the tears from his face.

Dynobot visibly twitched shaking his head in disgust.

"It would seem, I may have to give you a helping hand" Dynobot's words were venomous he didn't like the idea of helping an enemy. Regardless of their faction, although, Arcee had been a powerful and worthy adversary, much to his enjoyment.

"I will move you until we get our of jammer range then you can contact your allies and get you back to your base, but if we meet again, we are enemies. Do we have an understanding?" Dynobot asked reaching down and offering his hand to Arcee.

Arcee was silent for a moment, a Decepticon actually offering them help, a Decepticon seemingly ruled by a fierce code of honour which he seemed to live by even when helping an enemy.

"You've got a deal" Jack blurted out much to Arcee's surprise.

"Jack?!" she looked down at him best she could from her position, Jack turned around and looked at her.

"This is the best chance I… we've got of getting you to safety Arcee."

"The Hayman holds a point" Dynobot spoke out only to get two confused looks directed at him

"They're HUMAN" Arcee informed him, Dynobot merely shrugged, and looked back at her.

Arcee sighed and conceded nodding slowly to Dynobot.

"Fair enough" He said stepping back kneeling slightly as he reverted back to his Utah Raptor shape, the large reptile stomped up to Arcee picking her up and flung her over his back, he looked down to Jack offering his hand of which Jack climbed into.

"Never thought we'd be doing this today" Jack joked as he looked at Arcee slung over Dynobot's back like a saddle. Arcee looked at Jack and smiled best she could.

"You tell no one, understand? I do this only so I may fight you again one day. By myself!" he snarled and began stomping out of the ship, Jack and Arcee looked at one another worried, they were unsure of how long the Decepticon would keep his word and aid them. Him even aiding them in the first place was far beyond bizarre.

"I would suggest…" Dynobot voice spoke out as they both looked at him as he walked down the Hallway and out through the whole that lead further into the crevice. "that you enter stasis mode and allow your repair systems to do what they can." Arcee looked at Dynobot then at Jack who was already looking at her worried, he didn't know if he felt comfortable with that idea.

As if sensing the distrust Dynobot continued.

"You have my word I will no harm you nor the boy. And my word is bound by honour"

That was the best they were going to get, reluctantly she nodded her head.

"Alright but I'd prefer Jack be with me rather than in your hand." Arcee spoke weakly as she set her internal repairs to work. Dynobot grumbled under his metaphorical breath then reach back as best he could lifting Jack up near to Arcee. Jack reached out and climbed onto of her.

"I suggest you do the same boy." Dynobot finished and he continued to walk.

Arcee turned her optics only now noticing Jack's wound.

"Primus Jack, what happened?" She looked on in alarm at the blood soaked wound wrapped around the drenched material that was once his sleeve.

"I accidentally cut my arm trying to find the jammer on the ship" he explained to her Arcee's optic grew wider.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Jack, today couldn't have gone more wrong." She looked down in sorrow at the floor feeling defeated. "So much for a relaxing Saturday"

She felt a warm hand on her cheek, she turned her optics and looked at him.

"All that matter to me Arcee is that your alive, we'll get back to base and you'll be alright" he smiled at her she gazed into his eyes as he gazed into her optics, they felt they were staring into one another's very soul.

"Are you alright Jack?" Arcee asked not turning away from him her words were slow and soft. Jack hesitated to answer.

"No, everything great" he leaned forward to her Arcee's optics opening wide watching him.

Suddenly jack lost his balance and stumbled, Arcee too swerved a bit.

"I SAID SLEEP SLAG IT!" Dynobot yelled out from the front, the shaking from him shaking his body. Arcee felt warm in her cheeks and looked at Jack who was blushing.

"We better get some rest Arcee" jack said in a sheepish manner scratching the back of his head.

"I guess you're right Jack." She nodded in agreement, Jack laid down next to her closing his eyes.

"Jack?" she called

"Yes Arcee?" he replied without opening his eyes.

"Thank you for staying with me" she smiled, Jack opened his eyes and smiled at her before resting his head once more and closing his eyes. Arcee watched his peaceful face, his features so soothing, she closer her optics allowing her internal repairs to work.

Jack opened his eyes finding himself in an unknown place, he looked around slowly.

"Arcee?" he called out his voice echoing into the infinite "Arcee? Where are you?"

"She's Gone!" came his echo, Jack stumbled the words were from his own voice.

"Who's there?!" He called out, his only reply was the sound of blasters in the distance. He turned around now as if coming into focus was Cybertron, he stared at it fires raging across the city strange jet like forms in the skies, Eradicons. Jack looked around Cybertronian corpses lay across the battlefield torn twisted, wounds from blades wounds from blasters covering the bodies.

He looked back and made his way through the wreckage before him which lead up to the city, climbing the mountain sized fallen building he reached the top, placing his hands on his knees and he knelt down to catch his breath. He glanced up from his respite and looked at the carnage unfolding infront of him. Autobots and Decepticons at war unlike anything he'd seen before, what he had witnessed wasn't even the top of the metallic iceberg in comparison to this, bodies everywhere buildings like the one he'd climbed in ruin. Seeing this made Jack despise Megatron all the more, how could even he allow his home to come to such ruin. How could any living being allow their home to be ruined by war.

He closed his eyes from the horrific sight. He looked around. Bots and Cons in shapes of tanks blasting at one another with large energy cannons, foot soldiers like Vehicons and Eradicons on both sides, similar in shape but in contrast to colour and colour schemes. So these Vehicon like soldiers were the Autobots? Jack had often wondered if they the Autobots had their own take on the Vehicons.

Something suddenly came to Jack. How did he end up on Cybertron, here and now? He looked down at the floor his mind struggling to focus. The sound of blasters intensified the sound of heavy metal pounding against its own kind rattled the air around him.

"STAND FAST! THY SHALL NOT BREAK ME!" came a loud voice Jack looked up at the use of "ye old English" on Cybertron, he looked up seeing a Decepticon a blade in hand combating multiple Autobots, for his size he was swift and agile, his moves thought out beforehand.

These Autobot soldiers lashed out with bladed arms slashing at him with killer intent and purpose blocking the attacks with mere ease the Decepticon pushed back the Autobot with his sword turning on another unwary soldier brought his sword down upon it's knee shattering it then brought the blade up across it's chest making the soldier fall to the ground, the other attacked in force, the Con battling against the odds somehow tearing down the Autobots with its blade as it got close, leaving the five Autobot Vehicons down on the ground yet, they continued to move, they were online, he'd let them live as he walked off with purpose.

'_Dynobot' _Jack thought watching him leave. Suddenly like a car crash everything hit him with force. He remember, him and Arcee, the downed ship, the enormous Raptor turning Decepticon and…

"Airachnid" Jack spoke his voice cold and hollow without remorse of caring.

Jack walked out, and began making his way around the battlefield. He wondered if he's find Arcee somewhere, he wondered if in this place, she'd remember him. He wondered how he'd got here.

His questions halted as heard a loud Energon shot followed by a low roar from some Cybertronian , Jack turned his head seeing a large unknown metal body fly towards him backwards a shot of blue Energon plasma carrying it. He tried to run but his legs were frozen in place. Suddenly something grabbed him and moved out of the way. He turned and looked up.

And armor clad Cybertronian was running with him in its hand.

"Hey. Who are you?" he asked wondering if the Cybertronian would even understand him.

"It's me Jack" came Arcee's voice. Jack looked at her in shock not recognising her, she looked at him as she retracted the large helmet around her head, her face now like how he remembered her. She looked around and landed out of the battle zone.

"Arcee how did we get here?" Jack asked. Arcee looked at him and shrugged.

"I'm not sure, I thought I was dreaming and then I find you here" she replied to him looking at him confused who in turn looks at her with his own confused look.

"SO what's so weird if it IS your dream? Can't dream about your partner?" Jack asked teasingly Arcee felt her cheeks warm up again as she looked at Jack.

"No it's not that it's just, why would I be battling on Cybertron looking like THIS then find you here?" she asked again. Jack looked down at her very well armoured body then looked back to her face.

"You mean you didn't look like this?" he asked tilting his head. "Not even remotely?"

Arcee shuck her head quickly.

"No, I was more like I was before, this is just, I feel like a Gladiator." she looked up at Jack who was busy admiring her physique. "Or is this your dream?" she asked with a soft tone of voice catching Jack's attention.

"Well I think you look nice" he said coyly Arcee smiled then blinked at a sudden realisation.

"Do you hear that?" she asked looking at Jack, Jack listening carefully, then looked back at Arcee.

"No I don't hear anything" he admitted confused by what she meant.

"Exactly!" she blurted out "Where is the sound of blasters and war?"

Arcee had a point, he couldn't hear anything, they looked at one another then at their surroundings.

"A beach?" Jack asked in confusion when had the world around them turned into a beach?

"Beats me Jack, we were just on Cybertron a mome…WOAH!" Arcee yelled out in shock Jack turned to look at her, her body now how he remembered it but. He was looking at her eye to eye.

"Ugh Arcee?" he asked looking at her, she looked down. They were about the same height, albeit she was slightly taller than him.

"If this is my dream why are you taller than me still?" he asked her Arcee examined herself. Then looked back to Jack.

"Perhaps you like bigger older women" she jokingly said confused when she saw him blush.

They looked at one another, Arcee realised her arms were around his back, Jack looked up to her, she was so beautiful, he placed his hands on her hips, they felt so smooth like skin, Arcee blushed from the contact and pulled him closer, Jack's head planted between her breast plates. Or rather Arcee realised between her "bikini" she believed they were called.

Jack let out an loud gulp as they looked up one another. Arcee looked at him now only in shorts, there world seemed to be turning to what they wanted, was it? Regardless, the sun was setting over the ocean, Jack and Arcee were together they felt warm with each other, they felt closer than they'd ever felt. They felt their heads moving closer together their eyes closing, the tense moment when things would become awkward then suddenly…

"Alright get OFF!" came a voice.

Arcee and Jack opened their eyes and looked around, nightfall. They were on Dynobot's back. He laid flat on the ground.

Arcee looked at Dynobot then looked at herself.

"Are you functioning to a higher degree now? Or do I need to push you off?" Dynobot asked his patience running thin.

Arcee looked herself over as Jack stood up on the Raptor's back. She gritted her teeth as her legs began to move, her arms followed, she reached out and grabbed Jack before climbing slowly off the Decepticon.

"My systems seem to be in better condition than before. Thanks." She looked at Dynobot who turned around.

"We've been moving for Megacycles has your communications still jammed?" he asked impatiently

Arcee pressed two fingers to her head.

"Ratchet? Ratchet?" still there was static. "We're still in range of the jammer" she looked around confused. "It must be one hell of a jammer"

"Or a series of jammers" Jack added.

Arcee looked at Jack, she hadn't thought of that. That could pose a problem who knew how long they'd be till out of signal range. And June would tear her to piece if she didn't get Jack home.

"Oh Scrap!" Arcee cursed out as she fell back and landed on her metallic rear.

"look on the bright side I guess" Jack said smiling a half-hearted smile, Arcee turned her head to look at him.

"There's a bright side?" she asked in confusion, her communications, her systems were only just combat functional, and Jack would probably be hungry and they'd been missing nearly a whole day.

"Yeah." Jack said with his smile still on his face "We could pretend we're camping"

With that Arcee just leaned her head back and laughed, and laughed and laughed. Of all the things Jack could have said, he says something that makes her genuinely laugh, Jack laughed with her their laughter feeling like it lifted a large weight from their shoulders.

Dynobot merely watched them confused yet uninterested.

Later that night while sat down Arcee held Jack against her stomach plating to try and keep him warm, the wind had picked up and was blowing in cold.

"You going to be okay Jack?" Arcee looked down at her partner worried for his health and wellbeing, she could feel him shiver against her metallic body. He looked up to her slowly his arms wrapped around himself her hands covering him trying to keep him warm.

"I, I. I'll be okay A, A Arcee" he spoke in between the chattering of his teeth. He smiled at her best he could before leaning back against her and continued to shiver. She could feel a rumble coming from his body through her fingers, Jack was hungry too.

'_There must be something I can do'_ Arcee thought to herself, she wouldn't allow him to be like this, not through the night. She looked around trying to get any inspiration for an idea. Nothing.

Dynobot had offered to go scouting the area in case of danger, in case Airachnid was coming for them, that had been some time ago. Arcee felt a fool, she'd believed a Decepticon would help her, and now he was missing and had been for some time, he'd left them to die there in the cold. Had he? Perhaps, perhaps he'd lied about his code of honour, perhaps he was sicker in the mind than Airachnid, helping them so far only to let Arcee watch Jack suffer from cold and hunger.

"Something on your mind?" came a raspy voice from behind Arcee. She turned quickly, her left bladed arm at the ready, she stopped seeing the large Raptor, he hadn't flinched.

"Where have you been?" she asked narrowing her brow plates. Dynobot didn't answer immediately, instead walking around them and dumping scrap of wood on the ground and a few dead animals.

"The boy needs heat and food you said that earlier, I decided to take it upon myself to try and fix that little problem, my honour to guide to safety counts to the boy as well as yourself. Letting him die in such a way would break my vow." Dynobot explained to a stunned Arcee, who was now feeling a little guilty about her previous thoughts.

"I know, you probably thought I'd abandoned you." Dynobot admitted looking down at her, her silence and averting gaze confirming this. "I do not blame you for taking that track of thought." Dynobot piled the wood together before shifting into robot mode.

Jack watched as the large Decepticon lowered himself to the floor his eyes firing small thin beams of Energon, that power would be useless against fighting another Cybertronian but it was strong enough to set the fire alight, with this done Dynobot shifted back into his raptor form and laid around the fire blocking the wind from it.

Arcee let Jack go and allowed him to get closer to the fire and look over the dead animals. Things he wouldn't even think of eating, but right now it was as good as any meal.

"I would suggest cooking it over the fire" Dynobot said finally before laying his head down against the floor. Jack looked at him and nodded using unlit wood as skewers putting them through the various animals, he felt guilty but, it was survival of the fittest, well it was survival of the human.

Arcee watched over the minutes as Jack warmed up by the fire finally he had stopped shivering and the now skinned animal, skinned from the use of one of Arcee's blades were now beginning to cook over the fire. She smiled watching Jack, the fire was comforting and rather beautiful under the starry night sky, the wind no longer causing so much of a problem with Dynobot using himself as a barricade.

'_It's been such a rough day.' _Arcee thought to herself allowing the day's events to go through her mind. _' Dynobot, Airachnid, but…'_ she sighed internally on the outside she was still looking down at Jack who was now beginning to eat the cooked meat.

' _Things could have turned out much worse than they have, at least we're alive and functional and we're together' _ a warm tender smile came over her mouth she felt warm all over her body, suddenly Arcee did a fast double take on her own thoughts.

'_Together as PARTNERS… as FRIENDS!' _she yelled in her own mind, shaking her head. She mimicked a sigh causing Jack to turn around.

"You okay Arcee?" he asked his cheeks wide with food. Arcee looked with a raised brow at Jack, he must've been hungrier than she thought.

"I'm fine Jack, you enjoy your food" she smiled at him he looked back at the fire then back to Arcee.

"Why don't you come closer?" he asked then swallowed the meat in his mouth, Arcee tilted her head for a moment then shrugged dragging metallic rear across the ground and sat right behind Jack, wrapping her legs around the fire Jack looked around at her legs then up at her, he felt, comfortable, safe.

"Thanks for looking out for me Arcee." He said suddenly catching Arcee of guard.

"What do you mean Jack?" she asked confused by his words.

"I know I've never really said it before, maybe I hinted it at times" Jack tried to explain but trailed off leading to Arcee the speak out to try and get him to what he wanted to say.

"What are you trying to say Jack?"

"Just, thanks for looking out for me after everything we've been through." He smiled but blushed a sudden wave of embarrassment coming over him. Arcee looked at him confused, but soon enough she smiled placed a hand on his shoulder gently.

"You're worth looking out for Jack." Jack looked up at her sheepishly his blush deepening, Arcee felt awkward, she hadn't meant it to sound like that. "Besides." She continued trying to get out of the awkward moment. " You've done a lot to help me Jack."

"Like how?" he asked curiously

"Just being there for me, you've been like there for me even when I didn't ask you to be, even when I told you not to be, you always came back for me." She smiled at him her optics once again focused on Jack. Jack looked up at her seeing what he believed would be an embarrassed expression for Cybertronians, he knew if she could she'd be blushing.

Arcee placed a hand against the back of Jack's head stroking him gently. He sighed softly and relaxed, Arcee didn't know why she was stroking him, she felt in her spark it was just, the right thing to do at this moment, besides, Jack didn't look like he was about to complain. Arcee felt warm and not just because of the proximity of the fire, her spark felt warmer than it had been all day, but why? If Jack was the reason for this feeling, why? And what was it?

Arcee looked over to Dynobot he was powered down "sleeping" his pseudo-organic body replicating breathing in and out as he "slept". Arcee took this time to look down to Jack, she had been meaning to ask him since they awoke on Dynobot's back but didn't feel the time was right. It didn't feel right now but it was the best she was going to get.

"Jack?" she asked removing her hand from the back of his head. Jack shivered a little, not from the cold but from no longer having that comforting feeling.

"Yes Arcee?" he asked with a warm smile.

"Were you really there, in my dream?" she asked metaphorically biting her lip awaiting his answer, he stared at her for a moment. What was he going to say?

"That was your dream?" he asked in shock. Arcee blinked. She was sure it was her dream, but if it had been Jack's dream how could she remember it.

"Wait just to clarify it was the same dream. Cybertron?" she started awaiting a reply.

"Heavy looking battle armour, and war." Jack replied, both stunned.

"Then the beach you became my height" jack continued on.

"Me wearing a bikini" Arcee said putting her hands on her hips and looking down at Jack sternly. He felt really small all of a sudden, looking away with a deep red blush.

"You. Did look nice" he admitted. Arcee slumped her arms on the ground looking at him.

"So we shared the dream?" she asked shocked at the realisation, Jack looked at her and nodded.

"But how?" he asked plainly

"I'm not sure Jack, this planet…" she looked at Dynobot or more rather his "unique" alternate form. "It seems to do strange things" Arcee said finally looking back at Jack.

Eventually Arcee had allowed Jack to continue his meal then let him lay down for sleep she looked at her Partner laying there comfortably, innocently. She wondered what he was dreaming about, perhaps he was waiting for her to come into his dream again. Could they actually do that again? How did they do it in the first place? She reached down running her fingers gently over him from his head down to his feet, he shivered suddenly from the touch Arcee pulled back her hand hoping she hadn't hurt him, he didn't make any more movements so Arcee continued her optics picked up the sound of his gentle moans as she stroked him.

'_Primus, why am I doing this?'_ she asked herself or more so Primus if he would answer her, there was no reply, though she didn't stop stroking Jack, he seemed to be liking it and in truth, she was enjoying it a little herself. She didn't understand what had been with the two of them today, other than their current predicament nothing had changed between them since yesterday. Had it?

"you like the boy, don't you?" came the groggy sleepy voice of Dynobot Arcee jumped at the sudden voice she turned looking at Dynobot whose eyes were still closed.

"Yes, we're Partners" she said quietly trying to not wake Jack, looking at him confused at the sudden question

"I see" he opened his eye lids and looked at her with one Jurassic looking eye, the slit lens focusing on her. "If you say so" he closed his eyes again.

'_What was all that about?'_ she wondered. She continued to look at Dynobot looking him from snout to the tip of his curled up tail.

"You know" she whispered, gaining Dynobot's attention. " You're not too bad, for a Decepticon" she admitted. "you could have killed us both back in the ship and left us here to die just now."

"No I couldn't…" Dynobot started but Arcee butted back in.

"I know your Code of Honour, a lot of Cons would call that weakness"

She watched as Dynobot lifted his head from the ground.

"Weakness is when the mighty take advantage of the weak, when they crush them for being only what they are, when a wounded being is killed unjustly by someone who does not deserve to kill them, when you kick someone who is down THAT is weakness, if I am to be considered weak for my Honour, then I shall wear weakness with pride." Arcee could tell Dynobot was speaking from his spark, such honesty and passion in their own words was rare if not unheard of from a Decepticon.

'_He sounds more like Optimus than a Con'_ Arcee thought to herself with a smile.

"You're not too bad you know" Arcee stated Dynobot tilted his large reptilian head. "For a Con I mean."

"I have told you before. I no longer consider myself a Decepticon, regardless of the insignia I wear" Dynobot informed her. Arcee recalled him saying that.

"So you were the one who "offed" those Cons?" she asked tilting her head. Dynobot nodded.

"They were on "Excelsior Five" on a Energon salvage, I had arrived via a small drop ship not too long after they had finished storing the cargo" Dynobot lowered his head to the ground, Arcee saw a look of sorrow in his eyes.

"What?" she asked

"The species that lived there had been decimated. The Decepticons using them as "target practise"." Dynobot snarled his words grew cold and ruthless. "I watch a small child hold onto an adult crying and screaming as their village was burned down. I saw Strength and I saw Weakness"

Arcee tilted her head in confusion.

"I saw Strength in their kind standing together, throwing simple sharp based tool at them, even myself, though I did not retaliate, I saw Strength in them helping their wounded some even giving their lives so others may live." Dynobot words were warm, he had seen such strength in a primitive species. "And then I saw the Decepticons laughing at the futile attacks, Switchblade dismembered a Proud Warrior of their race and used him as an example to show how weak they were, how weak he saw them. The Decepticons just laughed taking the Energon leaving the villagers to fend for their own."

Arcee watched Dynobot's eyes, his face was all but expressionless. But she could see his rage building from memory.

"You went after the Cons"

"I vowed to their chief, I would restore their honour, yes I went after them." He gritted his teeth his words becoming venomous and menacing "And I cut them down like the animals they were, driven by my RAGE! I would not allow them to leave that planet. Online"

"Then why join the Cons in the first place?" Arcee was now truly confused, she was seeing now for the first time what Dynobot was truly like an honourable Cybertronian, why would he be a con?

"Megatron's ideals at first were inspiring, for us all to be the same, to be equals, I joined his cause to be a "Decepticon" I saw it as glory a true and noble cause" Dynobot sighed. "How wrong I was, our cause became perverted by the rage of war, no longer would we be equal and free, no equal under Megatron's tyranny, time and time again I tried to break free, time and time again I wanted to do what was right. Then I got my chance, I found a ship and escaped"

"Why not join the Autobots?" she asked.

"I had … defeated … many an Autobot by time my realisation had come to me" Arcee stopped him.

"Defeated?" she queried, Dynobot nodded.

"Defeated, many an Autobot was an honourable foe, if given the chance I allowed them to function, though would leave them unable to continue our battle." Dynobot explained,

"But enough of the past, the past only brings back our darkest deeds, and our darkest times. The future we must concentrate on, and the only way to do so, is act in the present." With that Dynobot lowered his head and continued to sleep.

Arcee had been quiet thinking on the Decep… Dynobot's words, she found herself looking back at the silently sleeping Jack,.

'_Concentrate on our future'_ she thought to herself reaching out and picking up Jack his skin was nice and warm from the close proximity to the fire, she laid herself down against the floor holding Jack in her hands then held him against her breastplates allowing herself to smile as she too began to sleep.

Jackson Darby awoke as he felt the sun's light beam over them, his eyes opened slowly, wincing from the light he used his hands to block it out so to allow his eyes to adapt. He tried to stand but couldn't move, thinking the worst he looked around at his surroundings.

Arcee?

Arcee was still in recharge, still sleeping her hands were carefully covering him, he admitted though, he was comfortable, and looking at her from this perspective, he wouldn't have minded waking up like this for the rest of his life. He blushed a deep red.

'_Stop it Jack, come on, this is Arcee you're talking about. We're partners friends, nothing more'_ he sighed to himself before admitting to himself the truth of his feelings. _'Besides… she's a higher quality than me, she's too good for me and deserves better' _he looked down in sadness. Straight at her breastplates which made him blush again. He wondered as he looked at them, she was asleep, maybe she wouldn't notice.

Gulping quietly he placed his hands on her left breastplate and gave it a soft stroke, he felt dirty, he felt immature, felt like he was going against her trust but his curiosity had gotten the better of him. He expected nothing, for as alive as he saw her and felt she was, she was sadly a robot, her body wasn't like a human body. With his curiosity gone he stopped, a big red blush over his face, he felt a rumble underneath him as Arcee awoke. He looked up worried, had he actually awoken her.

Arcee looked around at her surroundings the large Raptor still resting, she turned her gaze down to look at Jack and smiled.

"Sleep well Jack?"

"Great thanks" he replied smiling as innocently as he could after the act he just did.

Arcee sat up holding onto Jack still before putting him down on the floor allowing him to stretch his limbs and joints, Arcee's left optic twitched a little hearing his bones, joint and muscle crack under the stretching. Jack face was full of delight after his stretch he'd felt stiff earlier, but now felt limber enough.

"Sunday" was all Jack said, Arcee thought for a moment then nodded.

"Sorry again about what's happened" Arcee's tone was once again sad as she looked away from Jack, he smiled up at her still and placed his hand on her leg stroking it gently.

"I've told you, It's okay Arcee, we're alive and you're with me, that's all that matters"

Arcee looked at Jack she smiled at him, a sudden loud snort erupted from behind them, they both turned seeing Dynobot awaken the loud snort coming from his nostrils, confused he looked around at his surrounding then looked at Jack and Arcee a look of annoyance in his eyes.

"And here I thought I was merely having a Nightmare" he stated bluntly causing Jack and Arcee to laugh.

Jack finished off some leftover meat from last night for his breakfast to build up his energy, then the three of them were walking again, Dynobot again allowing Arcee and Jack to ride on his back, for reasons he himself didn't know.

Arcee now was straddling Dynobot's back like a jockey on a horse rather than straddling him like a the saddle the jockey sat upon. Likewise Jack was sat upon Arcee's leg.

"Don't forget to keep trying your communications!" Dynobot called out from the front his voice directed at Arcee.

"Will do" she said pressing her fingers to her head. "Arcee to base, come in. Arcee to base" she shuck her head. "Still nothing."

Dynobot snarled, Arcee "scraped" and Jack sighed. How were they still being jammed?

"Hey wait!" Arcee called out suddenly. Dynobot stopped turning his head to look at her best her could.

"What's up Arcee?" Jack looked up at her, "Have you gotten through to Ratchet?"

"No, but I hear something" she stated looking around slowly. Dynobot adjusted his audio receptors.

"Indeed, something is here, getting closer" he snarled. Jack couldn't hear anything looking around the area, flat lands for miles, if it wasn't around them. He looked up

"THERE!" yelled Arcee Jack turning his head to look to where she was pointing, but unable to due to her blocking his view.

"What is it?!" Jack asked only to be worried once Arcee's left arm shifted into a blaster.

Then he heard it, the sound of a Helicopter, it was getting closer, and closer quickly.

"Airachnid!" Arcee said gritting her teeth, Jack stared at Arcee now glad he couldn't see the psychotic Spider-Bot now in her Advanced Helicopter vehicle mode.

Dynobot turned around to look now allowing Jack to see the Helicopter flying up to them from the skies, the helicopter locked on and fired a missile at the trio, Dynobot snarled then turned and ran

"HANG ON!" he roared as he sprinted. Arcee held onto the raptor best she could, the missile missing them, only to have automatic gun fire rain down upon them, forcing Dynobot to change direction and continue into his powerful sprint. Arcee turned holding onto Dynobot with her right hand and aimed her blaster at Airachnid.

"You are in no condition to battle her now" Dynobot snarled knowing what she was doing without looking. "You need to reserve your Energon"

"He's right Arcee. You need to hold onto your Energon" Jack called out to her

"SCRAP!" Arcee cursed loudly, they were both right.

Airachnid continued to fire lazily at her targets from above, herding them according to plan.

"END OF THE ROAD HOLD ON!" Dynobot yelled out as they were being herded to the end of a cliff side. Arcee looked on and held onto Jack tightly, she felt Dynobot's tail lay on her back trying to secure them best he could as he leapt off the side going into free fall plummeting hundreds of feet towards the ground.

"OH GOD DON'T LET US DIE!" Jack yelled out from under Arcee.

"HE BETTER BE LISTENING!" Arcee replied her voice near muffled by the powerful gusts of air created by their descent.

Finally with a hard slam they landed a large dust cloud raising up around them, Dynobot landed on his feet but buckled at his left knee causing him to lose his balance and fall, he roared using his other leg to shift his weight causing him to fall forward the other landing on him. Arcee fell flat onto his back she shuck her head then gasped.

"JACK! OH PRIMUS, JACK!" She sat up quickly seeing Jack on his front. "Oh no, Jack" her body had a rush of cold overcome her, she'd crushed him? No, she could see him twitch, her spark twitched inside of her like a heart skipping a beat.

"Oh jack, don't scare me" she sighed looking down at him.

"ugh, I think I got up close and personal with your breastplates" he rubbed his head slowly. He was merely concussed.

"Not to be rude, but could you get off my back now?!" Dynobot asked as he laid on his stomach.

Arcee turned and saw his left leg twisted at the knee bent out of place, horrified she grabbed Jack and jumped off of him.

"Oh Primus." Arcee exclaimed as they got off him.

"I'll be fine" he grumbled shaking himself. Suddenly a new voice came from the dust cloud as it disappeared. The trio turned to look at the origin of the voice. Arcee's and Jack's faces went sour with rage.

"Silas" they both said in Unison. Before them was Silas and MECH the sound of the helicopter Airachnid was heard coming from behind them as she landed and transformed standing on her eight spider legs.

"We've been expecting you" Silas smirked looking at them "like flies to a spider web" .


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Sacrifices

The light of the sun settled down over a desert valley, the heat only further intensifying the already tense moment on the ground.

They couldn't move, nowhere to run to, a large rock face behind them, a corrupt army and a psychotic robot infront of them, and themselves, were not in the best condition for fighting.

"Like flies into a Spider web" Silas the leader of the organisation MECH called out to the trio before of Dynobot, Arcee and Jackson Darby.

"What are you talking about Silas?" Jack yelled out clenching his fists his anger apparent in his voice.

"Did you really believe Airachnid's presence was not pre-planned?" Silas said with a confident smirk over his face the said Airachnid behind him, the damage she sustained the previous day by her rival Arcee and the vicious Decepticon rogue Dynobot was now partially fixed and her Energon restored to a higher degree, no doubt because of her fragile alliance with MECH.

Jack and Arcee looked at one another in confusion before Silas spoke up once more.

"MECH knew you Autobots would come looking for the ship, so with a little tracking beforehand we enlisted the aid of Airachnid here."

"And wouldn't you believe my luck." Airachnid finally spoke out from behind the MECH soldiers. "My first assignment and I already get a reward. Arcee and my fair dear Jack" she said with a venomous seductive tone.

"BITE ME!" Jack snapped back at the sadistic Decepticon traitor.

"Ooh, you smooth talker Jack, how very tempting." Airachnid replied running a finger over her fangs.

"So, after your… altercation… we planned for Airachnid to herd you over to us, and here you are. Damaged, broken, defeated." Silas said looking over the three before him.

"Not yet!" Snarled the large raptor as he tried to get up, yet his fall from the high cliff top had damaged and twisted his left leg out of place.

The MECH soldiers stepped forward aiming their advanced rifles at them. Jack looked at them stepping back slowly only for Arcee's hand to cover him, blocking him from the weapons.

"Get behind me Jack" Arcee whispered, Jack complied as he hid behind her.

Dynobot snarled beside Arcee and Jack.

"Try it, move a muscle and we'll have no choice but to take you back to base in pieces." Silas warned his stone cold gaze staring at them.

Dynobot looked at Arcee who nodded to him. He looked back at Silas and snarled.

"We shall stand together Human, and you shall fall" he snarled pulling himself off of his belly causing the MECH soldiers to open fire, Arcee instinctively turned around and covered Jack from the shots, Dynobot snarled as the bullets racked against his synthetic skin, he roared out in pain and rage bringing up his right foot and slamming it down onto the ground causing a big enough shake of the Earth to cause the MECH soldiers to stumble.

"HIDE!" Dynobot yelled as he forced himself to transform, Airachnid attacked immediately firing a shot of webbing at the wounded Dynobot, the impact knocking him back and sticking him to the rock surface, Arcee looked around for any place to hide seeing a large rock formation not too far, grabbing Jack she ran taking cover behind a large rock formation, the MECH soldiers firing at her as she sprinted away, her damaged and reduced armor making the shots more effective against her making her face scrunch up in pain.

"ARCEE?!" Jack yelled out to her from within her two handed grasp, she looked down to him and smiled.

"I'll be okay Jack" she winced and forced a smile trying to comfort Jack. Arcee dared a glance seeing the MECH soldiers coming towards them as Airachnid walked on her robotic legs towards Dynobot.

"Scrap, Dynobot's stuck." Arcee cursed. Jack looked up at her with a worried expression.

"What're we going to do?"

"I don't know Jack, something will come up." She turned her head away from Dynobot to look at Jack. "Something always does" she said with a half-hearted smile.

Jack still didn't feel very confident about their current predicament and he could tell Arcee felt the same.

"Well, well." Airachnid began as she walked up to Dynobot smirking "You got the drop on me last time, but this time you're not so lucky" she stopped infront of him and two sharp blade from her spider legs across Dynobot's face making him roar in pain. He growled mumbling something under his metaphorical breath as he looked down at the floor.

"What was that?" Airachnid smirked taking his metallic chin into her hand.

"I said." Dynobot said louder his voice full of his own venom. "GET FRAGGED!" he roared out looking up at Airachnid his optics lit up green, and fired a powerful beam of Energon directly into her face before she could react, the beam sending her further back only to crash into the ground across the rocky plain.

Dynobot looked down at his restraint. "Powerful stuff" he snarled "Only as good as what it stick too" he roared out in rage as the rock face behind him started to crack as he began to pull himself free only to stop once he heard continuous gunfire to his right. He averted his gaze and saw the MECH soldiers firing at Arcee whom was holding Jack covering him with her body to ensure his safety.

"Only cowards attack an injured foe" he said softly, before snarling his optics changing back from red to green as he fired continuous bolts of Energon at the MECH soldiers.

Silas watched on his face unreadable. He had underestimated this new Cybertronian, more so for its Optical based weaponry rather than armed. He looked at his Humvee and got in then looked at his driver.

"Return to base they'll follow" His driver nodded as they drove off down the dirt road behind them.

Meanwhile Arcee was still under heavy fire laying on her side covering Jack with her body, Dynobot's blasts incinerating a few of the soldiers but ultimately missing others.

"Arcee we got to get out of here!" Jack called out.

"I know that Jack! But I can't risk you getting shot!" Arcee replied worried for Jack's safety.

"Listen I'll lay on the ground as best I can, hopefully they won't see me, then you do what you can" Jack said as he laid on his stomach, Arcee didn't like the plan, but they had no choice, she was damaged, Dynobot was damaged and bound and Airachnid was now getting back up.

"Frag!" she cursed and got up kicking at MECH soldiers around her their bones shattering on impact, she knew Optimus told them not to harm human lives, but when it came to Jack and his safety no one was safe from her wrath.

The soldiers continued to fire, their bullets damaging her body breaking through her less armoured frame, her lack of armor from her having to break some off to fool Airachnid in their previous encounter, and while her systems could fix some minor internal and external damage, it couldn't "rebuild" lost armor, Jack was staying low to the ground as he had said his low profile keeping him away from the firing bullet that missed or ricocheted off of Arcee's body. The MECH personnel now seeing their attack broken down and futile turned to retreat.

Airachnid looked up at Dynobot whom was still struggling in her webbing restraints, her facial armor was damaged parts melting, the pain near unbearable. With an venomous hiss she moved towards him her eight spider legs ready to slice him into scrap metal.

"You won't be playing that trick again" she hissed, Dynobot looked at her snarling, his optics beginning to glow green only for Airachnid to fire off a shot of Energon directly into his face, too slow to fire the Energon bolt hit him directly, his optics still in use though their blaster upgrade was damaged and left non-functioning.

"A nice party trick, but not good enough a third time" she stalked up to him savouring the taste of when she'd send him offline. "You were fun, but you're no Arcee!" she snarled stepping infront of him her bladed spider legs ready to strike.

"You rang?!" called out Arcee's voice, Airachnid turned only to get Arcee's foot blasted into her face stumbling his back. "Now you're as ugly on the outside as you are on the inside!" Arcee called out to the damaged Airachnid.

"Leave me! Get out of here!" Dynobot snarled, Arcee ignoring him as she unsheathed her arm blades and proceeded to cut him loose.

"No deal Dynobot, you helped us when we needed it, I'm returning the favour" Arcee replied as Dynobot was freed.

"Correction." He snarled "I aided you because of my honour, now… I am in your debt" he informed her reluctantly.

Arcee was slightly stunned, but then Dynobot wasn't like most Cybertronians she'd met.

"We'll discuss it later" she said as Jack came running up to them.

"What's the plan now?" he asked looking up to the Arcee and Dynobot.

"No, plan. But I have a sneaking suspicion SOMEONE knows why my com link is jammed" Arcee stated angrily as she walked over to the downed Airachnid.

Airachnid pushed herself up onto her hands and knees only to feel to force of a foot force her damaged and partially melted face into the rocky ground.

"Talk Airachnid!" demanded the angered Arcee. "You know why I've been jammed since I got here. Tell me."

Her demand was only met with laughter from the Spider-Bot. Arcee pushed her foot down further onto Airachnid's head the ground around it beginning to crack.

"TELL ME!" she roared. Airachnid lashed out with her spider legs thrusting them at Arcee only to feel two large clawed hands grip four legs each.

"It is impolite to not answer a question so NICELY asked!" Dynobot snarled, Arcee looked up at Dynobot who merely smirked at her.

Airachnid remained quiet, her silence irritating the large Ex-Decepticon as he pulled on her legs lifting Arcee's leg up, Arcee then used the upward momentum to slam Airachnid's head back into the ground.

Airachnid cried out in pain unable to move, unable to retaliate her blasters inoperative.

"You'll never get anything out of me. So you may as well put me offline" Airachnid mumbled from the concrete. Arcee narrowed her eyes in anger unsheathing her blades.

"Oh don't you worry Airachnid. I'll make sure it HURTS!" Arcee spat her words as sick and as venomous as Airachnid's as she placed the tip of the blade against the side of Airachnid's head and began twisting it, turning it and it began to dig into her head.

"NO ARCEE!" jack yelled out catching her attention. "STOP!, IF you do it you'll be NO better than her, and I know you're better than this, better than her!"

A deep realisation struck Arcee, Jack was right. If he hadn't have stopped her, she'd have been no better than Airachnid she'd have only killed a monster and become one herself.

"He's right" Arcee sheathed her blade. " I am better than this. Better than you Airachnid." She narrowed her eyes then a smile came across her face. "Dynobot however…" she trailed off, Dynobot smirked a toothy grin, he grabbed Airachnid's legs tighter twisting them, the sound of buckling metal and snapping circuitry was heard between the four of them, the scream of agony as Dynobot tore the legs from Airachnid's back, he grabbed her then threw her against the rock face and stomped up behind her.

Airachnid spun around to retaliate, Dynobot back handing her across her face then wrapped his sharp claws around her throat and lifted her up with one hand, dragging the back of her body across the rock face, she grabbed his hand trying to break free. A sadistic look upon his face.

"All across the Universe Airachnid, you have been eradicating species to the brink of endangerment, calling yourself the Ultimate Hunter." Dynobot let out a loud but cold laugh before turning his eyes back to her. "But you're only second best. To me"

Dynobot felt his rage growing within him, a rage that was not his own, not Cybertronian. NO. A more primitive rage, a PRIMAL RAGE, so animalistic it felt addictive, felt intoxicated from it. His Cybertronian optics turned to slits like the beast he could become, a long object beginning to protrude from his mouth. Airachnid looked at it, slime dripping from it, like metal and flesh bonded together to create a new substance. Then Dynobot felt it.

The Hunger.

He felt something inside his churn, something new, something that wasn't Cybertronian, he placed his free hand on his stomach area and looked down, a predatory like smile coming over his face. Airachnid looked into the Cybertronian Beasts eyes as he looked back up to her, she could hear the churning, the look in his face so similar to hers but far more monstrous, more bestial.

"I'm … Hungry!" Dynobot said with a snarl as he lowered her to his eye level staring deep into her optics.

"What do you think you could do tha…. AAAIIIEEEE " Airachnid's words were cut off as she felt sharp blades, small tiny blades sink into her breast plate, she screamed an unholy scream of terror and looked as Dynobot reared back his head her armor sticking out of his mouth, chewing it slowly before swallowing.

Arcee and Jack looked on in horror, he ate a piece of her. But Cybertronian couldn't consume.

"His organic transformation" jack said quietly. Arcee turned her head to him in confusion. "He must have gained "organic" traits"

"He's grown a digestive system?" Arcee asked turning her eyes from Jack back to Dynobot, a screaming Airachnid in his grasp as he took another bite out of her.

"Energon Levels Increased by 5%" Dynobot's on board computer told him making him smirk like an animal.

"It would seem, dear Airachnid. That my new form, has allowed me a few new tricks, consuming you for some replenished Energon" Dynobot smirked, Airachnid stared into his optics, a look of confusion and horror on her face, she may have wanted a painful death, but to be eaten? Eaten Alive?

"Now then" Dynobot smirked turning his attention to Arcee who stared back unsure of whether she could trust the seemingly cannibalistic Cybertronian who then turned his head back to Airachnid.

"Arcee is going to ask you some questions. For everyone she doesn't like… I get to FEED!" he smirked with a toothy grin, Airachnid could see some of her armor in his teeth.

Later the three were walking slowly towards the nearby MECH base, it's location and the information they required given to them by Airachnid…forcefully.

"So it would seem, my new form has adapted my internal systems as well." Dynobot commented as he cleaned his teeth of black metal armor. "A technorganic state it would seem. Combining metal with organic"

Arcee and Jack were rather off put by Dynobot and his new "abilities" of being able to consume and digest to increase his Energon levels.

"I admit, she was rather…. Tasty" He said with a proud smirk on his face cleaning his teeth with his technorganic tongue.

"That's disgusting." Jack merely commented as they came upon the MECH base now seeing it in the distance the two Cybertronians laid on their stomach to keep lower visibility in case MECH were already looking out for them.

"So MECH have set up antennae all over the area which jams all communication in the area." Arcee said remembering what Airachnid had told them.

"Except there's" Jack added on look up at Arcee who nodded to him.

"Except there's, yeah." She looked back at the base "It's a large facility, some could be underground. It could take us too long to find the primary system and take it offline." Arcee said looking at Jack then to Dynobot.

"Stealth is not going to be our best chance to find anything. I'm sure even IF we were in any shape to transform, they'd be suspicious of a lone motorcycle and an extinct overgrown reptile" Dynobot stated as they lay there in watch.

"Agreed." Arcee spoke out. Jack meanwhile felt useless, a human who was about to go into a top secret Base full of corrupt men hell bent on taking apart Arcee and those he called his family… and Dynobot. He didn't know what he could do, to his surprise Arcee turned her head to look at him.

"Got any ideas partner?" she asked hoping he had some idea, Jack blinked looking at her, she wanted to know if HE had any ideas? He sighed then looked at the base.

"I don't know Arcee, I'm way out of my depth in this one" he said in a saddened tone, he felt useless. Arcee placed a hand on his hand and gave it a gentle stroke.

"Don't think like that Jack, you were the one who figured to blow up Airachnid's ship, you were the one who always seemed to think of a plan at the last minute, I have faith in you" Jack looked up to Arcee as she spoke a smile over her face, her words made Jack determined, he looked back at the base to see if he could see anything, anything that could be used for some sort of plan.

Arcee looked at him for several minutes as he stared at the base, she had meant every word she said, and she knew something would come to him, for his age, Arcee was amazed at how Jack's mind worked. Then, something. She saw it in his eye, that look of a plan, a look of determination.

"Okay!" he said at last looking back up to Arcee. "We know Alt forms are out of the question right?" Arcee nodded "Then we have to make do with what we've got. Wind and Natural camouflage" Jack stated, Arcee blinked in confusion and looked at the desert area infront of him, the wind was picking up true enough, picking up a thin dust cloud though the visibility was only barely impaired, there was no way she or Jack could blend in, the area was tanned, with bits of … brown. She turned her gaze to Dynobot. The skin coming from his beast mode was mostly brown with some lighter areas.

"Go on Jack" Arcee said with a smirk, Dynobot looking at them confused. "I'm all ears"

MECH soldiers patrolled the perimeter of the base rifles raised, their ammo hot loaded. Silas knew they would be coming if they wanted the jammer offline, it was the perfect bait.

"Anything?" he asked looking at MECH operative working on advanced machinery.

"Nothing yet sir, scans aren't showing anything just dust, wind and more dust."

"Noted" Silas said in his monotone voice, scanning the area before him from the control room the wind blowing fair dust all over.

"They're out there somewhere, we just have to know when to strike"

As Silas finished his question explosions erupted around the ground of the base. Silas looked at the security cameras, seeing something moving within the dust.

"Perhaps I may have underestimated them"

Dynobot roared crashed his fists down on MECH tanks crushing all those inside. He snarled getting up having commando crawled slowly his original position using the thin blanket of dust as extra cover making sure the blue of his metal skin was covered. MECH soldiers began to fire back now getting their target but Dynobot had already taken out some of their heavier weapons, the rest rolling out from an underground area.

Arcee watched with zoomed in optics.

"He seems to be having fun" she quipped with a slight chuckle, Jack watched best he could, but Arcee was his best bet to know anything. "That was a good plan Jack" she smiled while watching the carnage unfolding "Fragging good plan" she was genuinely pleased with the so far success of her partners plan.

"Yeah, I'm glad it worked too" Jack replied with a smile. "Come on we best get down there quickly"

Arcee nodding wrapping her right hand around Jack's chest and ran down towards the base.

Silas watched on from the control room, at the destruction unfolding outside. With a mere roll of his jaw cracking some stiff joints he turned towards another member of MECH.

"How long before Bravo and Tango are ready for deployment?" he asked calmly.

"Immediately sir" replied the MECH member, as he typed on his computer.

"Good, we'll give our… guests… a little run around, they'll want the generators offline, make sure all available forces are directed to the generators." Silas demanded as he walked out of the room.

Outside the MECH forces had retreated into the main building. Dynobot's body was damaged but that was to be expected.

"You okay?" Arcee called out as she entered the base, Dynobot turned to look at her as she carried Jack.

"I am still functional, so far the plan has worked, taking out the upfront weaponry leaving us some "breathing space" as it were." Dynobot looked at Jack as he spoke who was smiling.

"I'm just glad the plan got us this far." He sighed gently from relief. "Alright now we just got to find the power source and shut it down" Jack said looking at Arcee then to Dynobot. "So we might have to split up, cover the area more quickly, however it'll leave us at a disadvantage if we get ambushed" Jack thought weighing up their options, not liking either circumstance, they either went together and took longer to find the power source or sources, or they split up and become more vulnerable.

"I think time is of the essence right now Jack" Arcee spoke up looking at him.

"We need to be as quick as we can, and no doubt MECH will have more people waiting for us"

Jack nodded, she was right, MECH had a lot of equipment and a lot of weapons at their disposal.

"Then we best get moving before they can mobilise their remaining forces." Dynobot suggested as they heard the whirring of helicopter blades.

"Airachnid?" Jack asked out in panic.

"No Dynobot left her to badly damaged to transform into her spider legged form, let alone a helicopter." Arcee replied to Jack as multiple Helicopters hovered up from behind a large facility on the base.

"Scrap!" cried out Arcee covering Jack as the helicopters opened fire with automatic weaponry.

"You two get underground, I'll deal with things up here!" Dynobot yelled out, Arcee turned to look at the open passage way to the underground then back to Dynobot.

"Alright!" Arcee said reluctantly leaving the Ex-Con out to deal with the attack helicopters as she ran into the underground passage way. "Are you alright Jack?" she asked looking at her human partner, Jack checked himself over and looked up to her.

"Yeah I seem to be okay, we need to find that power source and call Ratchet asap, you need to be fixed." Jack looked her over, by now her blue armor was all but shattered showing the metallic alloy underneath.

"I'll be fine Jack, I'm more worried about you." Arcee went further into the complex talking over the sound of gunfire, missiles, and Dynobot yelling Cybertronian profanity.

Arcee unsheathed her right arm blade as she kept herself close to the wall hugging it as they got close to a corner, carefully and quickly she peeked round before pulling herself back round, slowly she looked around the corner again then walked around,

"This facility is huge, it could be anywhere" Arcee whispered to Jack still in her grasp in case of an ambush.

"I know Arcee." Jack whispered back "But it's the best I could come up with" he sighed, it wasn't the best plan ever, but they didn't have much choice either.

"Look Jack you took what was available to us and you made something with it. Can't expect gold when all you got to work with is scrap." Arcee told him. Jack smiled and rubber her hand.

"I don't think your scrap Arcee" he whispered gently. Arcee looked at Jack chuckling.

"Maybe not but I look like scrap" she replied before looking around another corner.

"Scrap!" she whispered "MECH." She groaned looking at Jack. "This is going to be tough. Stay here!" she knelt down placing Jack on the floor as she unsheathed her blades.

"Arcee no, you're too low on Energon" Jack called up to her worried about her condition

"It's either I use up some Energon or we don't get out of here. And I promised June I'd protect you till my spark is vanquished" she said in determination and rushed off before Jack could get in another word.

The MECH forces turned seeing Arcee running towards them and started opening fire with automatic weapons and heavy artillery. The bullets pounded at Arcee's metallic body as she dodged the heavier damaging artillery fire, she looked on as another tank took aim at her and fired off a large explosive shell, Arcee gritted her teeth waiting for the last second before jumping over it landing she was struck by a second shot knocking her back and sending her rolling across the ground.

"ARCEE!" Jack called out from behind the corner, the tanks continuing to fire shell after shell at her, Arcee's armor began to buckle and break under the repeated heavy fire. She cried out forcing out her blasters from within her arms and fired precise shots at the tanks causing them to explode killing the MECH operatives around them.

Arcee's body let out a low groan as her mechanics slowed down, painfully she stood up, her pieces around her head destroyed but she was in whole, intact.

"Come on Jack" she held her damaged side. "We have to find that power source"

"Arcee you should rest"

"No time for that Jack, there could be more coming, and my Energon reserves and hitting the red light." She frowned to Jack whose eyes showed signs of worry, though she could see further than just the outer layer, he was terrified for her, and too for him. If she went offline, only Dynobot, if he was still functioning could save him, she wouldn't allow Jack to come to harm.

"Let's just hope old scale belly is doing better than us" Arcee quipped as they walked along the corridor, Arcee putting her internal repairs to another use, though there was little they could do at this point.

Outside Dynobot roared out in pain struggling to get to his feet, most of his synthetic skin blown off of his body, his armor chipped and cracked, he looked at the wreckage of the helicopter before him and smirked.

"You, do NOT challenge a warrior of my calibre" he snarled forcing himself to his feet wobbling slightly as he regained his centre of balance. He walked carefully placing his hand on the structures of the base to keep himself steady. He scanned the area for any form of generator, or sufficient power sauce, a generator, an electrical conductor.

'…_a really big potato' _Dynobot thought to himself, after he and Arcee had spoken previously about human technology while he carried them across the desert region, she had explained how humans for some science "projects" could light a light bulb with a potato which he learned was a consumable on Earth. Dynobot reached down to the ground and picked up his sword, his shield was still too damaged to fully function and his sword's spinning blade had only just stopped after destroying the final helicopter. He was beginning to lose a lot of Energon, the Choppers having blasted him in the torso with a barrage of missiles causing him to leak, he would fight on, stay online and complete his objective.

Stomping further on around the complex he was met with no resistance. He knew it couldn't be so easy, he refused to believe it was so easy, he kept his optics open for another trap, anything he could set off.

The he heard something, a low pitched buzzing noise, it had a rough feel to it like it was using a lot of power. "The power source?" Dynobot thought out loud as he moved towards, the sound originating in some form of large hangar. Looking for an entrance Dynobot gave up and tore through the front of the Hangar with his sword, a big mistake. He looked inside his optics opening wide at the obvious ambush and multiple tanks fired off shells at Dynobot in unison sending the large Cybertronian off his feet and crashing through the hangar behind him.

MECH units marched forward firing the heavy loaded ammunition into the downed Dynobot, the bullets tearing away at his fake raptor skin and denting the armor underneath. Struggling to get up Dynobot felt his Energon levels decrease further, the tank shells tear his bleeding wound open further. He eventually rolled over just managing to get himself onto his hands and knees before the tanks fired into his metallic rear knocking him forward causing him to roar out. Dynobot snarled in rage pushing past his pain as he forced himself up, one tank reloading early fired into his torso, Dynobot held his ground the shot cracking his armor and damaging the raptor head in the process, he roared coming down on the tank with his clawed hand picking it up as the others prepared to fire and threw it at the others causing them to buckle and break the shell fired only to explode inside the bent turret causing the two tanks to explode, Dynobot narrowly rolled out of the way of the other shell shots, scrambling to his feet he proceeded to stomp on the tank and impale them with his sword, the human soldiers and their automatic weapons doing less to slow the Cybertronian in his rage.

Dynobot covered his head from the automatic fire and looked inside the hangar he had ripped open. A generator, as Jack had guessed, that was the power source, smirking he stomped up to it and impaled it with his sword the fluctuating electrical energy surging through his sword and through Dynobot causing him to cry out in pain his body smoking from the electrical discharge as he fell to his knees, his power system overloading from the electrical charge. His systems telling him to go into stasis to allow it to fix.

"Override" he demanded as he postponed his stasis lock. He pulled his sword from the generator the blade partially melted and blackened, he stood up and pressed his intercom with two fingers.

"Arcee?" there was static. "Scrap! That must mean there is more than one generator" he snarled and continued to look around the surface area.

Arcee and Jack were still looking for the generator unaware of the fact there was more than one, there had been a silence between the two of them, both not sure what to say to the other in this circumstance, the feeling of their seemingly inevitable defeat felt close by.

Arcee's Energon was nearly depleted, if she was going to resort to blasters she was going to have to make every shot count, otherwise it could mean the difference between life and death, and not just for herself, her cybernetics and circuitry were highly damaged leaving her vulnerable, leaving her less manoeuvrable, it'd take her more concentration to dodge more of those shell attacks.

'_If I can get Jack out of here, it'll be worth it!'_ Arcee told herself mentally as she glanced a look down at him, he was looking straight ahead, he was upset, she could tell, his shoulders were slumped, his expression was miserable, he'd done his best so far to keep up the moral, but even now he was finding it hard to do so. Perhaps it was her turn.

"Hey cheer up Partner" she said to him doing her best optimistic voice she could, Jack looked up at her as she forced her best smile. "WHEN we get out of here, how's about you and me relax on top of the base?" she asked. She was happy as Jack smiled nodding.

"That'd be great Arcee just you, me and the world before us." Jack could see it now, hopefully they would see it. Arcee's mind slipped away as she thought of it, it was a nice mental picture, but right now she had to focus. Find the generator and destroy it then radio for a ground bridge. Something caught her attention, she turned and placed her head against the wall near her, there was a strange buzzing noise with a roughness to it.

"Jack" she called out quietly as Jack walked up to her. "I think I've found the power source, but it sounds like there are soldiers in there."

Jack listened in best he could placing his ear to the concrete slab, he could hear something but his inferior human ears could barely hear it, he looked further down the hallway seeing a large door, that lead into the room.

"Wait here, till I give you the signal" Jack ran off before Arcee could grab him

"Jack, stop where are you going?" Arcee yelled in her most quiet tone of voice, trying to sound demanding at same time. He looked at her then opened up the door, multiple MECH soldiers turning and aimed their weapons at him, Arcee watch him enter shaking her head.

'_Frag it Jack you're going to get yourself killed' _Arcee thought to herself.

Jack gulped holding his hands in the air.

"It's just me, don't shoot" he said as the MECH operatives lowered their weapons.

"Where is the robot?" one of them demanded to know.

"Which robot?" Jack asked looking at the soldiers one by one.

"Arcee!" the same operative demanded to know.

"Arcee's here somewhere" Jack smiled as they raise their rifles, Jack looked at them and coughed into his hand.

The wall behind them came crashing down without warning as Arcee broke through, she put her foot under one of the tanks positioned near the wall and flipped it up into the sky and punched it across the room skidding against the floor crushing MECH operatives under it and putting the tank itself out of commission.

The operative near Jack turned to fire, only for Jack to grab the rifle of one of them and wrestle him with it.

"YOU'RE NOT HURTING HER!" he yelled out getting Arcee's attention.

Arcee ran forward as the men opened fire upon her, the man wrestling with Jack managed to turn his gun and pull the trigger firing a few bullets into Jack. Arcee stopped in sheer horror time slowing down as she saw Jack stumble back in shock then fall to the ground, she watched as his body bounced off the ground.

"JACK!" she screamed in terror, which soon was replaced by rage, the MECH operatives beginning to fall back only for Arcee to bring her large metal fists down directly upon two of them crushing their skeletons under her fist. She turned to look at the remaining operative.

"YOU!" she snapped her words venomous and she picked him up the operative aimed his rifle at her as he lifted him into the air before swatting it out of his reach and placed her hand around his head, squeezing it slowly she heard him scream, scream for mercy, scream for his life, she felt his skull crack and shatter under her grip as she crushed his head leaving behind a bloodied mess of skin and bone. She threw the body away, her rage still pent up, grabbing one of the damaged tanks she threw it at the power source, causing it to explode on impact.

It didn't matter to her now, she'd failed Jack, after everything, she'd failed him. Arcee slumped to the ground her knees against her chest and leaned over putting her head into her hands, she tried to scream but nothing came out, she wanted to cry but couldn't she knew if she could her tears would be falling off of her like a waterfall. How could she let this happen? How could she let this happen to another partner, no. Not just another partner, to Jack, how could she fail him, he trusted her with his life, and she let him down, how could she have failed him. She loved him.

'_What?'_ she thought to herself. She closed her optics, she couldn't believe it took this to realise it. _'I'm so sorry Jack, I love you.'_ She curled up best she could just wanting herself to go offline.

"A… Arcee?" came a weak voice near her, her optics turned immediately. Jack was looking up at her .

"JACK!" she cried out changing position getting onto her hands and knees and looked down at him "Hold on Jack, I'll get you out of here I promise just hold on!" she pressed her finger to her intercom.

"RATCHET. RATCHET YOU BETTER FRAGGING HEAR ME!" she yelled out in panic. Nothing again just static. "SCRAP!" she yelled out in fury punching the wall beside them, after all this, after what happened to Jack still nothing.

"It's, okay Arcee!" Jack struggled to say as he pushed himself back against the wall, "Th…that just means there may be another, g… generator!" he coughed, Arcee looked down at him

"You were so stupid to that Jack, look what's happened and ... It's all my fault!" Arcee looked over him still panicking.

"NO!" he snapped back wincing in pain Arcee recoiled slightly. "It's NOT your fault, it was MY decision, mine to make, it's my fault for being careless" he held onto his side blood trickling out of him and onto the floor. "We've just, got to go find it!" he gritted his teeth as he tried to push himself onto his feet.

"Wait Jack, don't struggle" she reached out and picked him up carefully as she stood. "We'll find it, then we'll get you to a Hospital you'll be okay I promise" Arcee looked at him tenderly, her eyes looking over him with a sense of dread but a sense of longing. She wanted no NEEDED him. Her life, her existence would be ruined if he were to die.

"You just rest conserve your strength, we'll find it" Arcee ran off holding Jack as carefully as she could. She looked around then ran right, she'd find that generator she had new purpose to find it not just for herself but for Jack more than anything, she diverted more Energon from herself to her audio receptors trying to find the sound again.

'_Come on frag it COME ON!' _she screamed mentally hoping for anything. None stop she charged ahead running from hallway to hallway she had to find she HAD TO!

"THERE!" she screamed out suddenly Jack jumping in her hands from the sudden loud noise. He felt her sprint faster than she had been caring less for herself as she smashed concrete with her damaged body to move faster through the labyrinth.

Down the final hallway she could hear it the generator, running towards it her thoughts entirely on saving Jack she didn't quite hear the sound of the loading turrets as she reached the door it blew open with a hail of tank shells blowing her back across the Hallway she cradled Jack in her hands holding him his life too important, she held him safe not allowing him to be hurt any further her body skidded across the ground shard of her body buckling and tearing off leaving exposed circuitry to be seen to the world.

She cried out in agony, and looked down at Jack, he was unconscious, from shock, blood loss she didn't know, the final generator she could see it, with multiple tanks infront of it, after all this, it was over, they were defeated.

'_Not yet!'_ Dynobot's words rang out in her mind. She heard more shell fire come from behind seeing the one Ex-Con himself stumbled towards her a shell barrage knocking him off balance and landing next to her.

"For what it's worth. It was…" Arcee began accepting their defeat. "…it was an honour fighting against and with you" she cradled Jack hoping to keep him warm and safe as long as she could. Dynobot looked at her than at the unconscious Jack and the human blood dribbled from her palm. His optic went wide with shock then looked at the generator, feeling his rage renewed. He would not fail.

"We are NOT done YET!" he snarled grabbing Arcee and pulled her under him as another barrage hit them, blocking most of the damage with his own body. "when I say run you RUN like Unicron is after you" he demanded, Arcee rolled out from under him as he got onto his hands and knees, his optics flickering green as he growled in pain.

Arcee then saw his leakage he was running out of Energon fast.

"Dynobot…" Arcee began before Dynobot yelled out in agony firing a painful blast of Energon from his optics at the generator causing it to explode.

"RUN!" he yelled clambering to his feet, Arcee's optics opened wide as she dragged herself across the floor before her feet caught grip pushing herself up onto her feet.

"RATCHET!" she screamed down her intercom

"ARCEE!? WHERE IN PRIMUS HAVE YOU BEEN!?" the medic yelled out in surprise and concern.

"NO TIME EMERGENCY GROUND BRIDGE NOW!"

Ratchet could hear the sound of shell fire from Arcee's intercom.

"Oh by the matrix" he huffed

"Arcee! Where's Jack?" called out June Darby, Jack's mother.

"HE'S BEEN SHOT I NEED THAT GROUND BRIDGE!" Arcee yelled out, June gasped in horror her hands covering her mouth, Ratchet punched in the codes as Arcee saw the vortex open up before them a shell just missing her shoulder.

"KEEP GOING!" Dynobot roared as he turned around to face the tanks. Arcee glanced back stopping momentarily

"DYNOBOT COME ON!" She yelled back to him.

"NO. GET THE BOY OUT OF HERE! I SHALL SUPPLY COVER!" he roared as a shell hit him making him stumble. "GO!" he snapped. Arcee watched the Cybertronian, leaking Energon, his body battered as much as her's now charge at his enemy.

"A Warrior's Sacrifice" Arcee said softly before turning to the ground bridge and sprinting through it her servos beginning to give way as she ran.

Finally she landed back in base everyone stunned and horrified by the sight, just as Arcee's leg servos gave way causing her to fall she cried out turning her position as much as she could landing on her side her grip loosening on Jack as he rolled out of her hands.

"RATCHET GET ARCEE TO MED-BAY. JUNE GET JACK TO A HOSPITAL!" Prime's voice called out in a hurrying tone. Arcee reached out for Jack as June ran up to her son and held him.

"June I'm sorry, I, I tried, I. I couldn't, I…" she felt herself being brought up by her larger allies Bulkhead and Bumblebee. She reached out still for Jack staring at him.

"Jack. Jack! Jack! Jack." Her servos weakened as she finally went into stasis.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – When Dreams Come True.

"Arcee." Came a soft warming voice from the shadows. Arcee found herself in forest, a large dark forest rain pouring from the sky thunder roaring among the clouds lightning lashing down from the sky brightening the world around her.

"Hello?" she called out timidly scared, she didn't know where she was, or how she had come to be in a forest, it was then she realised, she was small. She looked down at herself, no, not just small, she was… human … her skin bare skin soft and pale she felt her hair blow against the growing wind, she was cold, the rain and the wind froze her down to her bones, if she really had any.

She looked around and started running, she knew she had to run, but didn't know why, it was her instinct to run. She ran through the forest the rain dripping from her body, the wind making her clutch herself best she could to stay warm, she had a terrible sense of dread over her, like something was terribly wrong, more wrong than finding herself in a forest, more wrong than finding herself human.

The trees around her seemed to take on a demonic visage their branches seemed to be reaching out trying to grab to contain her, to keep her down locked in place. She ran on, and on through the forest, stopping suddenly as she felt a presence within the darkness surrounding the forest.

"Arcee" came the voice, she had to find it, find the voice, that was her goal, her objective her mission. She had to find it, that would be her salvation.

"HOLD ON!" she yelled her voice barely able to overthrow the sound of the howling wind. "I'M COMING!" she screamed louder.

"Over here" the voice said directing her in one direction. Arcee turned, the voice seemingly coming from further into the forest, Arcee moved her long wet black hair from her face, her naked body shivering from the cold, fighting past it she ran again, sprinting as fast as she could, that voice would be her saviour, her salvation, she had to find it to succeed.

The further she ran the darker it became the lightning striking brightening up the world dimmer and dimmer with every step she took, she couldn't stop she wouldn't stop, be her body now frail and weaker, be her tired or not, she would still run, the cold grass making every step slippy under her bare foot.

Arcee looked around crying out though no words came from her mouth, no air in her throat, just the rumbling roar of the thunder and the howls of the wind, she had to get out of this nightmarish place, she ran again, the rain getting heavier pounding against her flesh, pounding so hard it was hurting, like thin sharp blades piercing into her.

Arcee placed her foot down in mid run the landing off she felt herself slip and fall forward landing on her breasts, gritting her teeth and sat up and cradled herself, she was alone, cold a rumbling in her lower torso she believes humans called hunger, she was hungry. She felt defeated the forest to vast, too big.

"You can do it Arcee" called the voice louder, she looked up to find it origins, nothing only the sight of trees blowing against the powerful wind, the voice was so soft, so warming to her heart, her spark, whatever she had in her now. "Don't give up Arcee" the voice called again. "You never give up" the voice went silent. Arcee closed her eyes tightly the wind blowing against her. No! She would not falter. She'd gone through much worse. Arcee opened her eyes once more a look of determination unfaltering within them, she stood up defying the very weather itself and yelled out in primal defiance before taking off going into a sprint her stride strong her feet pounding into the grass under her, she would not fail, she'd find her salvation, no matter the cost, the wet grass would cause her to fall time and time again but did not break her, would not break her, every time she would fall she would rise up and continue, she would not stay down, she refused to stay down.

She continued on her path running deeper and deeper into the seemingly endless forest until she came across some form of ancient ruins, pictures of a fierce battle of two giant, one more monstrous and demonic and the other like a goddess in armor, they were battling nightmarish creatures and a multi-legged monstrosity summoned by a cold hateful Tyrant, the two giants defending some holy being, smaller than they the engravings seemed to picture this boy as a Messiah, the birth of a new age, and one the Goddess cared for so much. Something stirred within her, the images seemed familiar, though she could not quite tell where.

Her attention was caught by a quiet ghostly moaning. Arcee turned around towards where she had come from, the ghostly moan suddenly burst out into a horrific Banshee like shriek, Arcee covered her ears with her hands falling to her knees at the horrid sound, it was terrible, feeling as if her internals would explode from hearing it, then she saw it, a large black spider shrieking like a banshee came storming out of the darkness towards her, the enormous insect pounding it's eight legs into the ground as it drew closer, Arcee couldn't move paralyzed somehow she narrowed her eyes covering them from the rain as the Banshee Spider stormed tore down any obstacle in its path.

Arcee fell back staring at the Insect as it pounced towards her it's mere size would crush her killing her instantly, she watched on for her inevitable doom, only to see something crash into the side of the spider sending it toppling into trees uprooting them as they fell, Arcee turned the shrieking stopped and looked up as something came bursting out of the ground, something large, larger than the Banshee spider, the monstrous beast let out a defiant roar against the spider pulling itself from its grave and pounded it's large feet into the ground shaking itself free of soil. She gazed up to the large behemoth of a reptile, it's visage of that from some monster movie, it roared it's mighty roar again at the Banshee Spider as it jumped up onto its eight feet and pounced onto Mighty Reptile. The beast held the Banshee spider best it could, the spiders eight legs pounding into its body with powerful sharp claws on the end of each appendage.

Arcee watched on above at the two powerful titans do battle, the Mighty Reptile snarling in primal hatred as it bit down on one of the spider's legs and tore it off with its teeth sending the Banshee Spider shrieking hysterics, the shriek this time weaker than before Arcee then watched as the Spider bit down the Mighty Reptile's head causing it to drop to the floor, it's feet still firmly planted on the ground as The Banshee Spider began to bite and tear at its flesh, with a menacing roar The Mighty Reptile spun around and threw The Banshee Spider off of its body, only for the Spider to land on its feet and fire a string of webbing at the Reptile's mouth forcing it shut. The Banshee Spider howled before charging at it.

Arcee turned to look at The Reptile who waited, she could see a light forming under the webbing, The Spider jumped the Reptile roared out the webbing incinerating as it unleashed a powerful blast of green fire upon the Spider knocking it back down to the floor, the flame breath still coming from within the Mighty Reptile as the Spider shrieked and howled it's body burning to a crisp before turning into nothing more than a pile of ash.

The Raptor reared back its head roaring in its dominance, calling itself the King of this World. Arcee watched carefully slowly getting up as The Mighty Reptile turned it's gaze to her, it's features softening.

"Do I know you?" she asked tilting her head and pressed a gentle hand on the end of its snout just below its nostrils. It shuck it's body gently, and tilted it's head in confusion, their attentions were turned to the sound a rumbling, a rumbling coming from the Ancient Ruins.

"By The Matrix!" Arcee yelled out as large parts of it opened up, strange four legged demons began pouring out of the ruins opening up their large toothy maws and unleashing a barrage of fire balls at the Mighty Reptile knocking it off its feet and sending it skidding across the grass it's body blowing over the Spider's ashes, the demons poured out like by the hordes.

"What is going on?" Arcee asked herself in shock and horror, this world was not right, could not be right. She turned her sight back to the Mighty Reptile as it arose lifting its head in dominance at the four legged demons. Arcee turned to look at the demons and the ruins, the corner of her eyes catching a glimpse of winged beasts flying over the ruins and hovering over the demons, all of them firing off Hellish balls of fire at the Reptile causing it to roar out in pain, black smoke rising from turning into a fog of darkness, the demons and winged beasts turned their attentions to Arcee. She could not battle these things, whatever they were, she stepped back slowly as they began to march towards her like an army, their eyes staring at her, through her, into her very soul, she was frightened but would not allow them to overcome her with fear. She would not allow them the satisfaction, a low growl erupted from behind her, the demons and beasts turned to look at the foggy darkness as the Raptor stomped forward, it's head lowered swinging upwards and unleashed it's mighty breathe of searing green flames upon them causing the beasts to roar out in agony melting away rather than burning, the winged beasts scatter around Arcee and the Mighty Reptile as it turned its head breathing fire upon them.

The forest catching the flames as they began to burn, the rain that poured getting hotter and hotter beginning to burn as Arcee's flesh, she winced feeling the burning piercing sensation she watched on as the large lizard fired its powerful breath of fire at its winged foes the ruins caught ablaze, fire rising up everywhere overwhelming, consuming.

Arcee fell to the floor and screamed the flames burning her. Then Nothing. Quiet. No rain. No sound. Arcee opened her eyes and found herself on the sand, she looked around curiously, where was she now? She stood up carefully, and looked out to the sea the sun was setting beautifully, it's warmth heated her mind, body and soul, Arcee felt at peace, although her stomach still rumbled with hunger. She looked down at her stomach and rubbed it only to catch sight of a large thick towel laying across the sand, a straw basket laid upon in, curious she walked up to it finding a note onto of the lid her name written over the closed note.

'_For me?'_ she wondered and knelt down picking up the note and opened it.

-Didn't want to wake up, you slept like an Angel from the Heavens, food in the basket for when you grow hungry. Be with you soon, gone to catch fish. Jack-

"Jack" she said closing the note and opening up the basket. Inside were various fruits, premade meats such as chicken legs, wings, pork ribs, and a few drinks.

She took out a few things laying them on the towel, picking up a chicken leg she examined it, she hadn't consumed anything before, this was a new. She brought it to her mouth and bit down on it with her teeth, it was tender, a strange but not unpleasant sensation, she tore the chicken away and began to chew on the meat.

'_This is a very primal function' _she thought to herself as she chewed the meat then swallowed. _'Though not totally repulsive either' _she admitted to herself with a smile taking another bite of the meat.

Soon enough she had her fill, devouring all of the food she had picked out leaving behind bones, she lifted up a plastic glass containing some fresh orange juice, she looked it over, she had seen Jack drink it before, she had sometimes wondered what sensations came with drinking and eating rather than installing Energon into one's self. So far from her new eating experience, it felt very primal very animalistic the idea of killing and animal then digging one's teeth into it and tearing away at its flesh before consuming it. But it did taste good. At least she believe it taste good. The only feeling she could get from eating the food was a positive feeling, though curious to begin, had she really tasted it, or only her interpretation of it?

Regardless she looked back at the juice focusing on it and placed it to her lips letting the liquid pour into her mouth and down her throat, it was cold, soothing, again nothing to precise just things she'd come to expect. She finished off the glass and looked back at the sea, she could remember seeing her reflection in the water and had not yet seen herself with this current human body.

Standing up she walked over to the ocean rest on her knees beside the water, the water splashing lightly against her skin, she leaned over and saw her reflection, her eyes were a bright shining blue, her lips a solid natural pinkish colour, soft skin, and dark hair she appeared younger than June, but she was definitely older than Jack, she guessed at perhaps late twenties to early thirties. She wondered if by human standards if she was considered, beautiful. She wondered what Jack's reaction would be to her like this.

She stood up and looked at herself, she was clothed, barely. She was wearing a two piece bikini that covered her breasts and her female parts. Arcee was curious as to what was happening, was she dreaming, and if so why was this dream so strange?

She turned to make her way back to the towel but stopped to look at the water, she'd never really been swimming before, she had watched videos of athletic swimmers, watched all sort of swimming activities when her mind was left to wonder, she knelt back down and placed her hand in the water, again the feeling wasn't precise, further believing it to be a dream.

Regardless she stepped into the water feeling her body become wet again but warm, she sighed gently feeling air escape her lungs before ducking under the water getting the rest of her wet, coming back up she looked back at the sun, so beautiful as it set giving the sky a wonderful pinkish colour and the ocean a soothing orange tint, she laid forward and began to swim, she felt free, the water slicing as her hands cut through it and pulled back as she swam forward.

Eventually she found herself merely floating across the water on her back, her hands behind her head legs laid flat and a smile over her face, this place was perfect, like Heaven as she believed the humans called it. Perhaps she had in fact died her spark going to this "Heaven" rather than joining the All Spark.

'_No.'_ she wondered. _'If this was Heaven, my Heaven then I'd want…' _her trail of thought was cut off by a voice from the beach.

"Arcee!" it was the voice from before, from in the forest, she opened her eyes and looked up, her feet going into the water as she looked.

"Jack?" she whispered quietly before swimming back to shore.

It was Jack. He was smiling at her as he stood on the towel holding up fish he'd caught, how? She didn't know.

"Look at what I caught" he said with pride. Arcee looked at the dead fish and chuckled.

"Well done, what're we going to do with them?" she asked looking from the fish to Jack

"Well, I'll bone them, gut them and cook them, we'll have them for supper." He said confidently, Arcee only noticed a small wooden and metal contraption by his feet, a fire roaring in the middle of it.

Jack sat down patting the sand next to her, Arcee tilted her head but complied and sat down next to him only to find the fish bones already removed and the fish on the fire cooking steadily, the sun now gone and the moon high up in the sky casting down a beautiful white light.

"It's beautiful isn't it Arcee?" Jack asked softly, Arcee staring up at the moon and the light that was reflected from the ocean.

"It's so beautiful Jack" she replied in awe at the sight. "It must be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen"

"Only second most beautiful thing if you ask me" he said calmly, softly Arcee turned her head to look at him seeing the back of his head as he tended to the fish.

"What do you mean?" she asked, he didn't reply seeming to ignore her question before plating up the fish and serving it to her.

"Bon Appetite" he said with a smile. Arcee didn't understand what he had said but, it sounded. Romantic? She didn't know, but she liked the sound of it, she turned her eyes to see Jack pouring a different red liquid into a fancy shaped glass. "and red wine for the lady" he said passing it over to her. She blushed a deep crimson, she could feel the heat in her cheeks as she accepted the glass.

They sat there in blissful silence, eating their fish, sipping their wine, which she mentally debated against Jack doing so as he was under age. She felt some strange affects come over her after drinking so many glasses, she felt, bubbly, flighty, was she tipsy? How could she be tipsy in her own dream since she had never experienced it before. How could experience what she had done already without having ever done it before. Her questions seemed pointless as she and Jack laughed over idle chatter.

"Jack." She began feeling her words slurred from the alcohol, "what did you mean by the "second most beautiful" thing?" she asked as she finished off the bottle of wine she had in her hand having drunk it from the neck. Jack beside her having done same with another bottle, his cheeks flared up with a blush.

"You Arcee" he began and looked at her, Arcee seemed to focus more as he leaned towards. "you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen" he threw his glass away as he crawled up to her,

"Jack wait what are…" she gasped as Jack grabbed her and kissed her upon her lips, her eyes opening wide she fought him off, though not as hard as she had initially thought, his mouth burned against hers with a beautiful tingle. She felt her arms wrap around him as his hands held onto her shoulders, the two of them kissing in a sweet embrace only breaking from it for air.

"Jack wait please" she asked blushing a deeper crimson Jack leaned forward and nibbled on her neck Arcee grabbed him moaning, how did she know to react … wait, she knew. She heard herself whimper as he moved one of his hands down now gently groping her breast the sensation was numb but her reaction was that of bliss, she moaned feeling Jack bite at her bikini strap and pull it over her shoulder.

"Jack I. Oh" she moaned as she felt his over hand slide down her gently caressing her body, the feeling numb still but she could guess it felt good, her reaction that of whimpering and moans, then, his hand stopped just above her bikini thong, he looked up at her lust in his eyes.

If this was her dream, she couldn't she get him to stop, why wouldn't he stop, her Jack wouldn't do this to her, unless. She wanted this. The realisation scared and shocked her, how long had she wanted to be this intimate with Jack, was this her subconscious in overdrive?

She felt his hand slip under her thong. She stared at him in shock feeling his fingers rub against her crotch going lower rubbing at her legs.

"Jack please" she begged weakly trying to resist, she opened her legs as she stared at him her mouth wide open, Jack leaned down and kissed her lovingly on the lips, then she felt him slide his between her legs, inside of her. Then everything came back to her. Her near death and Jack being shot.

"JACK!" Arcee screamed as she awoke, her optics opening wide and she flailed like a caged animal in the med-bay her restraints barely holding her in place.

"ARCEE, ARCEE CALM DOWN!" called out the Autobot medic Ratchet as he stood next to her trying to hold her down, Arcee broke one hand free and punched Ratchet in the side of his metallic jaw making him stumble to the side and fall to the ground.

"Arcee, calm down you are safe!" came a powerful yet concerned voice of her leader Optimus Prime. Arcee stared at the wall her memory going through the last things she remembered. Dynobot giving her and Jack a chance to escape, Jack bleeding in her hands, herself merely running on Energon fumes her body shattered to extreme extents. Now she found herself in med bay.

"Optimus?" she asked turning to the large red and blue robot.

"You are safe Arcee" he said with a smile. "you're online and operational" his words soothed her a little, he could see the look of worry still on her face.

"Jack?" she asked not wanting to hear the worst outcome. Optimus lowered his head to the ground, Arcee stared at him in horror. "No…. he's dead, isn't he?"

Optimus looked up at her suddenly in shock.

"No Arcee, he's alive, just unresponsive. You have both been unresponsive for Four Stellar Cycles." Optimus explained.

Bumblebee who stood near to Optimus let out a series of whirs and chips to his small friend Raf, who in turn looked up to Miko as she sat upon the shoulder of her mammoth of a friend Bulkhead.

"That's Four days Miko" Raf said explaining to her.

"Yeah I kind of guessed really" she admitted looking down at Raf.

"I had a dream, Optimus." Arcee began staring at the wall infront of her again. Optimus stepped forward looking back to Bulkhead and Bumblebee momentarily hinting they should go and allow Arcee some time alone.

"What happened in it Arcee?" he asked softly.

"I…" she began searching her memory banks. "I Don't remember, but I was scared, then warm, and happy" she couldn't recall what had happened only some of the feeling she had felt.

"Perhaps you will remember in time. You've been through a traumatic event and need your rest." Optimus said looking down at her, Arcee looked at herself shaking her head and fought against her restraints.

"No Optimus, I have to go to Jack! I have to find him I've got to see him" she gritted her teeth trying to break free.

Optimus took a step back from her then closed his eyes in thought.

"Very well" he said finally opening his optics, walking back up to her and released her.

"Bear in mind Arcee, you have been in stasis for some time, you may need to take things steady."

"I'm not looking for a fight Optimus, I just need to find Jack" she defended herself as she got up, she looked at herself her armor had been replaced, her systems were at acceptable functionality. "

"Thank you" she said sadly looking at her commanding officer.

"I will have Ratchet." He looked down seeing the medic bot still down. "I will bridge you outside the city…" Arcee cut in before Optimus could finish.

"All I want is the location please Optimus, I'd rather drive there" she said feeling sheepish. Optimus was quiet then nodded to her.

"He is in the local Hospital in Jasper where his mother works. I would suggest giving her a call." Optimus said as Arcee turned to leave.

"I did all I could Optimus. I tried my hardest" she said quietly, Optimus nodded slowly.

"I'll require a debrief when you are ready" he asked gently. Arcee transformed into her vehicular form and rode out of the Autobot base. Optimus lowered his head sadly before hearing a metal clanking behind him.

Ratchet put one hand on the med-bay berth and pulled himself up slowly, his head spinning slowly before dropping back to the floor.

June Darby was sitting silently in the hospital during one of her breaks, four days her son had been in a coma, at first she had blamed the Autobots blamed Arcee for taking him with her and nearly losing her son in the process. Optimus had explained to her however that Arcee's wounds more than showed she had defended him till the very end of her nearly extinguished life, June had looked upon the near dead state of Arcee and remembered how she had acted as they were dragging her away, she was frantic trying to grab Jack trying to hold him, still trying to protect him.

She was like June would have been, June conceded to Optimus, she knew she couldn't blame Arcee, and she knew if Jack awoke finding out he was banned from seeing her or the Autobot he's hate her till the day he died, Arcee had done everything she could have.

"June!" came a voice, she looked up seeing a co-worker running up to her. "Come on its Jack! Come on!" she yelled trying to hurry her up. At hearing her mention her son June stood, nearly leaping out of her seat and dashed to his room. Had he flat lined, was he going deeper?

She ran into his room and fell to her knees tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

"Jack" she said staring at him.

"M, Mom?" he asked, he had finally awoken. June clambered to her feet and hugged her son tears dropping onto his pillow.

"Oh God Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack. You're awake, you're finally awake" her tears poured downed from her eyes. Her son was awake, her words and mind couldn't quite define how happy and relieved she was. "Oh god Jack I thought you were gone for good" she said looking at him, tears I his own eyes.

"You…" he smiled "You can't get rid of me that easily" he chuckled a little, June chuckled with him as she sobbed holding him again in her arms.

"I thought I'd lost you, when Arcee came through with you blood dripping onto the floor I thought the worst"

"Arcee?" he said suddenly. "Where, is. Is she okay?" he asked in his own worried expression.

Before June could answer her cell went off she looked at it and smiled looking at Jack.

"Ask her yourself." She said opening it out and passed it to him.

"June?" came Arcee's voice in a worried expression.

"June can't come to the phone right now, can I take your message?" Jack asked in a happier tone of voice, Arcee was silent as his voice sunk in.

"JACK!" she screamed down the line Jack wincing a little. "Oh Primus Jack you're alive, you're okay Oh thank the Matrix thank God, thank everything" Arcee stumbled in her words as she felt relief in her spark.

"Are you okay Arcee?" he asked her gently.

"I'm fine Jack I'm on my way over now, I was hoping to ask June how you were but, Jack just hearing you, you. You can't believe how relieved I am, how. How happy I am" Arcee sounded like June had her words full of the same worry and relief, if she could have she'd have been crying tears of joy.

"I'm just glad you're okay Arcee, I was worried about you" he said with a smile.

"I'll see you soon Partner." She said softly. "Could you pass me over to June?"

Jack nodded only to realise she couldn't see him.

"Yeah sure" he turned to look at his mother "Arcee wants to talk to you"

June tilted her head as she took back her phone.

"Arcee?"

"Oh Primus June, I'm so sorry for what happened, I, I tried my best to look after him, but I wasn't quick enough I wasn't…" Arcee rambled down the phone as quick as she could

"Arcee, Arcee, slow down, it's okay. I don't hate you, you did everything you could, Optimus assured me of that, but. I already knew that when I saw you as they dragged you to Med-bay. The look in your eyes. The fear and terror, you had my eyes Arcee. That's how I know you did everything you could" June said as calm as she could, her breath getting caught in her throat as she remembered, Jack listened to her he didn't remember that but then he didn't remember going through the ground bridge either he'd guessed he lost consciousness by then, he couldn't even begin to imagine Arcee how his mother had described her, with terror in her eyes. But it made him smile mentally to himself, she must really care about him.

June eventually hung up as Arcee ended the call.

"Agent Fowler is here." June said finally after sighing "He's going to have this area cornered off and bring Arcee up here into your room." She smiled

"Thanks Mom" Jack sighed gently and rested in his bed.

Within the hour Agent Fowler rolled Arcee into Jack's room, the agent smiled at Jack as he left them alone.

"Arcee?" Jack asked looking at the Blue Motorcycle.

"No Jack, Fowler wheeled some "other" blue motorcycle into your room for no reason" Arcee quipped in a soft yet sarcastic tone, Jack chuckled at her try at humour, it was funny.

"Thanks Arcee, I needed a laugh" he smiled at her, though he couldn't see it he knew she was smiling too. "Are you alright?" he asked softly.

"Nothing rest won't cure Jack, I was … concerned about you" she said picking her words carefully.

"From what mom said it sounded like you were terrified for me" he said softly, she turned her sight away from him her wheel turning with her, somehow she stayed up right.

"I was terrified Jack, I don't remember much but, things keep slipping back into memory, I remember running through the ground bridge, the servos I my legs giving way from the strain, then I dropped you" she said the memory while blurry was painful.

"Mom told me I more like rolled out of your hand after you fell, mom said you turned nearly breaking your leg in two just to make sure you didn't land on me" Jack informed her, Arcee didn't remember but was glad she had done such a thing.

"I'd never hurt you Jack, seeing you get shot." She froze that was very clear like an imprint in her mind forever burnt into memory. "I lost control, and the one who shot you, I … he begged for mercy Jack, and I killed him, slowly." Arcee was afraid of her own words.

"It's okay Arcee. It's okay" Jack said wincing as he sat up pulling cords off of his body to sit up on his bed, Arcee watched him concerned.

"Jack you should stay in bed, you're still not strong enough" her words fell on deaf ears as Jack tried to stand up only to fall to his knees "Jack!" she called out to him worrying for him again. He turned crawling over to her slowly.

"Jack, please rest." She begged him, he placed his hand on her wheel effectively trapping her, she wouldn't dare move now he was on her, "Jack please" she pleaded with him quietly as he pulled himself up putting his hands around her "head".

"Jack" she said softly as he held himself on her, they were quiet for a few minutes as he held onto her leaning his head on her. The both felt comfortable against one another, beyond what they felt before.

"Jack I" she began but remained quiet.

"Arcee, I… need to tell you something" he said softly catching her attention.

"What Jack?" she asked

"If it's… all the same to you." He gulped not wanting to sound offensive. "I'd rather say it face to face"

Arcee was silent for a moment.

"Alright Jack" she finally said her tone still soft. She chuckled a little. "I don't think now would be the best place to transform, I could either break my head through the ceiling or put my feet through the floor."

"Or both" he added chuckling with her. The two remained in silence, Arcee felt Jack beginning to rub her gas tank.

"Jack" she said softly, embarrassed. It felt nice, his soft skin against her metal surface.

"Oh sorry" he said apologetically pulling his hand away. Arcee said nothing more about it.

"We're still partners right?" he asked. Arcee internally smiled, if she could have she'd have picked him up and held him against her.

"Of course we still are Partner, you're not getting off that lightly."

Jack laughed as he held her, finally he felt strength return to his lower legs and placed his feet comfortably on the floor and carefully made his way back to bed.

"You get some rest Jack. I'll come back tomorrow and see you, hopefully you can get somewhere a bit better than here, and not so, high up" Arcee said before she contacted Agent Fowler.

"Agent Fowler, I'm ready to go"

"Alright Arcee be there in a minutes" he said before hanging up.

"You promise to come back Arcee?" there was a strange innocents to his words, like a child talking to their mother.

"I promise Jack, I never break my promises, especially not to you" she replied as Fowler walked in.

"You okay Jack?" he asked adjusting his tie and smiling at the boy.

"I'll be fine, nothing some food and rest won't cure" he replied with a smile.

Back at the Autobot base, Arcee gave an in depth debrief to Optimus and the others. Finding the crashed Decepticon ship, finding the room full of bodies, being attacked by a large prehistoric creature named a "Dinosaur" only for this beast to turn into a large Decepticon named "Dynobot"

"Dinobot?" asked Miko interrupting Arcee. "I didn't know you had Dinosaurs on Cybertron" she said from atop of Bulkhead's shoulder.

"We don't Miko" Bulkhead said looking at her with his eyes. "As Arcee said we've never heard of them before."

"Oh right. Well go on Arcee tell us about Dinobot" Miko finished looking at Arcee.

"Glad I have your approval Miko." Arcee said with a slight hint of annoyance.

She continued describing how he was a fierce and powerful con, then her battle with Airachnid, only for "Dinobot" to save her and Jack, then explained to them about Dinobot's fierce sense of honour which seemed to be the driving force of his life, she explained how he had helped her and Jack by carrying them across the desert, about how he came upon the ship, about their battle with MECH and then finally his sacrifice as she ran through the ground bridge.

The others were left in stunned shock about the tale, Fowler had been listening in with them with June by his side, none had truly any idea of what could have happened but hearing MECH had yet again joined forces with Airachnid.

"Thank you Arcee." Optimus finally said. "I suggest you continue to rest. You're off duty until further notice." He said in a soft yet commanding tone, Arcee bowed her head in compliance and walked towards her berth in her room.

" A Con with honour?" quipped Bulkhead "I never thought I'd hear such a thing" he added as he tried to picture him.

"What say you Optimus? Is it possible?" Ratchet asked turning to their leader.

"While I am surprised to hear about this Decepticon old friend, it gives my spark some peace knowing that it is possible, tomorrow we shall bridge back to Arcee's picked up location and search for whatever we can find." Optimus ordered. "Then we will bridge to the crashed Decepticon ship and destroy it. We cannot allow MECH to get their hands on Cybertronian technology alive, or offline." He concluded.

June was thinking over everything Arcee had said, a horrible feeling overcame her, a sense of self betrayal on her part to the Autobots.

"Optimus?" she called out timidly, the large robot turned and looked down at her with his soft eyes.

"Yes Mrs Darby?" he asked as he looked her over. "I understand you must be going through turmoil learning what happened to your son in the past day"

"yes Optimus, but, I'd like to say. I'm sorry" she said finally looking into the large robots warm eye, a look of confusion coming over him as he raised a brow plate.

"Apologies?" he asked plainly.

"For blaming you all for what happened, I was, out of order and I'm sorry."

Ratchet looked as if he was going to say something only for Optimus to raise his hand silencing him before turning back to June.

"You're apology is not required Mrs Darby, you feared for your son's life like we all were." He said calmly offering her a smile.

"Thank you Optimus" she said smiling at him finally.

The following day Arcee watched as Optimus, Bulkhead and Bumblebee brought in a large supply of Energon.

"Woah, did you score big in an Energon mine?" she asked watching them pile it up high.

"Nope!" called out Bulkhead putting down his load and walked back through the ground bridge.

Arcee looked at Optimus for any further information.

"A path was marked from your pick up location, carved into the walls leading us to a large Energon deposit in the MECH base." He said as he walked back through the ground bridge, Bulkhead coming back through with more.

"No Sign of your Decepticon friend" he added.

"Ex-Decepticon" Arcee defended, she was confused by the markings Optimus mentioned but wondered more about Dinobot.

"Well either way no sign of him, just a lot of bodies, and a lot of blood" Bulkhead added as he walked back through. Bumblebee came running through the bridge and put more Energon cubes onto the pile.

Ratchet watched on staring.

"By the all Spark, how could MECH gather so much Energon?" he asked in amazement.

"How long could this last us?" Arcee asked as she leaned against the wall.

"Oh, by the rate they're bringing it in, and the rate we use it. I'd say a good year or more." He watched on a large smile over the medic's face. Arcee looked at the growing wall of Energon cubes. This was a definite good find as they had been running scarce of Energon.

"I wonder if…"

"You wonder if your "friend" left the directions" Ratchet concluded as if reading Arcee's mind, to which Arcee nodded.

"Well as suspicious it is a Decepticon would aid an Autobot, I would say not, but from what you've said, who knows, it definitely possible."

"Either way old friend, we have not located Dinobot, so there is a chance he is still online." Optimus said putting down more cubes and stopped as Bulkhead and Bumblebee came through.

Bumblebee whirled in success as they had emptied the marked Energon storage.

"This was a monumental find Autobots, this could shift the balance a little more in our favour" Optimus said his tone happier than it had been in some time as he looked over there newly supplied amount of Energon.

Arcee nodded then turned her head feeling an incoming message.

"Oh Hey June" she said pressing her fingers to her inter-com.

"Hey Arcee, I've got some clearance for Jack as long as he's under adult supervision the Doctors say he's allowed off the grounds." June informed her, knowing she'd probably want to take Jack out for a ride, and knowing he wanted to as well.

"That great June, can I come by now?" Arcee asked with a smile over her face.

"Oh course. Just be careful with him okay?" she asked, Arcee nodded slowly she knew June was still worried as was she, Jack wasn't at his strongest yet but day by day he'd get better.

"I'll be careful June, you can trust me." Arcee finally said earning a thankful sigh on the other end of the line.

Arcee walked to the Autobot base entrance and transformed riding down the road and towards the Hospital, soon enough she'd be with Jack. There were things they needed to talk about.

Jack was waiting outside the hospital with June by his side, seeing the motorcycle with leather clad female on top of it.

"Hey Jack, June" Arcee said happily as she parked herself, the woman straddling her unmoving.

"You be careful dear" June said to Jack kissing his head.

"Mom please, not infront of Arcee" he blushed red looking away from June, who in turn just smiled.

"Come on Partner, I'll save you again" Arcee commented with a slight chuckle as Jack mounted Arcee sitting behind the hologram.

"Don't worry June, he'll be okay" Arcee continued turning her headlights to the worried mother.

June simply nodded as Arcee rode off, the hologram dissipating allowing Jack to grab hold of the handlebars.

"So where to partner?" he asked holding on as tight as he could.

"To "our place" Jack" she commented, Jack raised a brow at what she meant before she rode off towards the desert regions outside of Jasper.

After a long but quiet ride, they reached the mountain peak they'd gone too before just under a week ago.

"I can't believe it's been nearly a week" Jack commented looking at the horizon as he dismounted Arcee allowing her to transform.

"yeah, we've been out for most of it though" she said with a half heart chuckle.

"Yeah…" he began before sitting down as to no lose his balance, Arcee looked down at him and decided to sit down with him, letting her lower legs hang off the side of the rock.

"There's a lot we need to talk about Jack" Arcee began, she turned to look at Jack who was already looking at her a saddened expression on his face. "What?" she asked in confusion.

"It's nothing." He said lowering his head and looked away from her.

"Jack, if something is bothering you, you can tell me, I'm your partner" Arcee said leaning down to him to look at him better. "We can talk about anything" she finished.

"It's not so simple Arcee." Jack said with an air of mystery to his words. "You might not like what you hear"

"Tell me Jack." She asked calmly, curious as to what he was to say.

"Well, let me just start by saying, when you were hurt, when you looked as if you were dying…" tears welled up in Jack eyes, Arcee watched in shock, she'd didn't know what to say " I felt ruined, I felt useless, after everything we'd been through and there was nothing I could have done to help you, I felt useless, just watching you die a little slowly it…" the tears rolled down his cheeks his tries to fight them back failing as he remember he covered his eyes with his hands averting his gaze from Arcee trying to not look weak infront of her. "It nearly destroyed me!" he cried out from behind his hands. "I couldn't do anything to help the person, who means so much to me." He blurted out removing his face from his hands his eyes red and tears dropping onto his pants.

"What are you saying Jack?" she asked leaning closer to him, he looked at her letting her see how upset he truly was, even though she'd seen up upset sometimes even cry this was all the much more.

"I'm saying I'm in love with you Arcee!" he said as a matter of fact shocking Arcee her optics opening wide and her mouth hanging open. " And I know, we can't be together…" he looked away from her not wanting to look at her expression "because we're a different species, because I know you don't like me the way I love you but…" he stopped to clean his eyes. "but mostly because, I know, I'm not good enough for you, I'm big enough to admit when someone is out of my league. And now you know, and now you're going to be disgusted with me, for saying it"

Arcee was in shock, Jack had admitted to her openly with the most heartfelt and sincerest words she'd heard, that he was in love with her.

"Jack…I" she started Jack turned away.

"I'm sorry Arcee" he said in between sniffles. Arcee lowered her head closing her optics trying to think of her own response, not something she could reply with her mind. But something from the spark.

"Jack… look at me, please" she asked softly, Jack turned to look at her seeing her smile, she let out a deep sigh before putting her hand behind Jack's head leaning down she pressed her metallic lips to his in a lip lock.

Stunned Jack's eyes flew open feeling the strange warmth and energy from her lips, she leaned back looking away from Jack.

"I don't think I'm out of your league Jack, because …" she started then looked at him still shocked by her action. "I'm in love with you too" she admitted, they both felt that same warmth that had overcome them on their journey. The feeling now so clear to them both they felt like slapping themselves from not realising it. Love.

"Oh Arcee" Jack said blushing, Arcee smiled brushing her hand against his hair, she laid him gently on his back then crawled up to him on all fours lowering herself down pressing her lips back against his, Jack reached out and held her face gently, Arcee felt herself moan into his mouth as Jack moaned into hers.

They'd been nearly separated, nearly destroyed but now they were reunited, stronger than before, shattering their friendship and replacing it with something much more complex but much more fulfilling, the two new lovers gazed into each other's eyes. Arcee leaned down to kiss her young partner again only to stop. Jack looked at her confused, an annoyed look coming over her face worried him, what had he done. She looked at Jack then looked away from him placing two fingers on her head.

"Arcee I need you back at base so I can run an analysis on you" Ratchet said over the intercom.

"Frag you Ratchet" she hung up the line shocking Ratchet as he stared at the screen. Arcee turning her attention back to Jack.

"Who was it?" he asked innocently.

"Someone wants to sell me Bike insurance" she joked causing them both to laugh before kissing each other once again. Both moaning in sweet pleasure, neither wanting to let the other go.

They did not know what the future held for them. But now together united in a way they never thought possible. Together they would take on the world if they had too, and they would win. Together. Bound By Love and Honour.

Authors Notes: I'd like to thank everyone for their support on my first fan fiction this has been a great new experience for me, I do have a lot more planned out for future stories so I will be looking forward to doing them in the near future. Thank you and good day/ good evening/ goodnight.


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